Chelsea handed major fixture change as Club World Cup opponents are kicked OUT of competition by Fifa
CHELSEA have been handed a major fixture change in the Club World Cup. some three months out from the competiton.
The Blues were set to face Mexican side Leon in their opening match of the summer tournament, but will now take on a different side after Fifa have KICKED OUT the Liga MX side.
Chelsea will face new opponents in the Club World Cup[/caption]
Leon, who are currently second in Liga MX, have failed multi-club ownership rules relating to the competition – meaning they are now banned from competing.
Leon are part of a multi-club ownership group – Grupo Pachuca – that also includes fellow LIga MX side CF Pachuca.
Due to Pachuca’s involvement in the Club World Cup too, Fifa have decided that Leon must be ejected from the tournament.
A Fifa statement 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 León 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 2025M, FIFA has determined that Club León will be removed from the competition, with the club to be admitted as a replacement to be announced in due course.”
No replacement has been decided for Leon yet.
Leon have a released a statement of their own outlining their plans to appeal the decision in court if they are prevented from playing.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
It read: “Club Leon expresses its disagreement with the decision made by FIFA, which could exclude us from the next Club World Cup.
“The decision on which team will not attend the tournament is the responsibility of the organization’s Secretary General, who will notify us in the coming days.
“In recent months, we have presented each piece of evidence and documents confirming that Club Leon operates autonomously in all financial, administrative, and sporting aspects.
“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 CONCACAF contingent for the Club World Cup now stands at three sides – Monterrey, Seattle Sounders FC and Pachuca.
And a replacement for Leon would likely have to come from North America too.
Grupo Puchuca owner Jesus Martinez said last year that he would be willing to sell his controlling stake in Leon if it allowed them to compete in the Club World Cup.
The other teams remaining in Chelsea’s group are Brazilian side Flamengo and Tunisian outfit ES Tunis.
MORE TO FOLLOW…
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
