Chelsea will get a new opponent for their opening Club World Cup fixture (Image: GETTY)
Chelsea will get a new opponent for their opening Club World Cup match with Club Leon having been kicked out of the tournament by FIFA. The Blues were due to begin their campaign against the Mexican side, but the fixture schedule will need to be changed in light of their removal from the competition.
Club Leon have been ejected by FIFA after failing to satisfy the governing body's rules around multi-club ownership. They are owned by Grupo Pachuca, who also own fellow Mexican top-flight club CF Pachuca. The two teams were scheduled to compete in the Club World Cup later this year, with Costa Rican side Alajuelense challenging the decision to allow them both to enter.
FIFA have responded by removing Club Leon from the list of participating clubs, with a replacement set to be announced in due course.
They confirmed the news via a statement, which read: "Following disciplinary proceedings opened against CF Pachuca and Club Leon, the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to refer the case directly to the FIFA Appeal Committee in accordance with article 56 paragraph 3 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
"After having evaluated all evidence on file, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee has decided that CF Pachuca and Club Leon failed to meet the criteria on multi-club ownership defined under article 10 paragraph 1 of the regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
"In line with article 10 paragraph 4 of the regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, FIFA has determined that Club Leon will be removed from the competition, with the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course."
Club Leon have since challenged their removal from the tournament, insisting they will go down the legal route in a bid to get the decision overturned.
"In recent months, we have presented each piece of evidence and documents confirming that Club Leon operates autonomously in all economic, administrative, and sporting aspects," read a club statement.
"Should Club Leon be prevented from participating in the 2025 Club World Cup with the same rights with which it earned a place on the pitch, we will pursue the matter to the fullest extent possible in the highest sporting courts."
The expanded Club World Cup will take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13, shortly after the end of the European domestic seasons. It will involve 32 teams split into eight groups of four in a similar format to the World Cup for international teams.
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