Club World Cup upheaval continues as Alajuelense threaten CAS legal action

As the clock ticks down towards the the first ever expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup draw, Costa Rica’s LD Alajuelense still maintain that they should be entitled to a place at the 2025 comPetition as they cite FIFA’s non-compliance in upholding regulations.

Alajuelense

• Costa Rica

Statistics

The competition is set to be held next summer in the United States and will feature 32 of the world’s biggest club teams with the likes of Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City, Boca Juniors, Al Hilal and Flamengo all poised to compete in the tournament which kicks-off in Miami next June.

As things stand, CONCACAF will have Pachuca, León, Seattle Sounders, Inter Miami and Monterrey as the five confederation representatives with Alajuelense citing the multi-club ownership ruling with both Mexican teams, Pachuca and Club León both controlled by the Jesus Martinez head of Group Pachuca.

‘FIFA rulebook is clear’

“Those are the rules that FIFA established — there cannot be multi-ownership at a FIFA competition” an LD Alajuelense spokesman claimed last week. “There are two Mexican clubs from the same owner and the rulebook is clear. What we are asking is to review what FIFA itself established.”

The Costa Rican side deem that they are the rightful owners of one of these CONCACAF places given that they would be next in line based on their current confederation coefficient rankings for non Liga MX/MLS teams.

According to AS sources, Alajuelense have already submitted their complaint to the FIFA General Secretariat and it is in the hands of the Disciplinary Committee, which will investigate the relationship between Pachuca and Club León with ‘Los Leones’ from Costa Rica not ruling out going to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) as a last resort.

Full screen

Get your Game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and Entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.