LAFC and Club América Face Off for Final Club World Cup Spot

LAFC and Club América compete for the last spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The winner of LAFC vs Club América will join Group D alongside Chelsea, CR Flamengo, and ES Tunis in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Los Angeles FC will host Club América at BMO Stadium on May 31 in a high-stakes playoff match for the final spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The winner will join the 31-team lineup, replacing Club León, which was disqualified due to breaching FIFA's multi-club ownership rules.

The playoff match is a result of Club León's expulsion from the tournament after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected their appeal. Club León's ownership group, which also owns CF Pachuca, a participating team in the Club World Cup, violated FIFA's rules. LAFC, as the 2023 Concacaf Champions League runner-up, and Club América, the top-ranked team in FIFA's Club World Cup confederation ranking, will compete for the spot.

The winner will not only secure a spot in the tournament but also earn an initial payment of $9.55 million from FIFA, with potential earnings of up to $100 million from the $1 billion prize pool. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will feature 32 teams from around the world, competing in 11 US cities from June 14 to July 13.

Es momento de luchar y seguir haciendo historia. 🦅

Nos vemos el 31 de mayo en Los Ángeles para el América vs. @LAFC, partido que decidirá el último cupo para el Mundial de Clubes. 👊

¡Juntos por nuestros colores! 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/tq6l1Lc2Qg

— Club América (@ClubAmerica) May 16, 2025

FIFA's decision to disqualify Club León from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup stemmed from the club's failure to meet regulations regarding multi-club ownership. Interestingly, despite facing similar issues, Pachuca's spot in the tournament remained unaffected. This inconsistency led to a playoff match between Los Angeles FC and Club América to determine the final participant.

Los Angeles FC, as runners-up in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, and Club América, the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking after the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, will face off on May 31. The winner will take Club León's place in Group D, competing against top-tier teams like Brazil's CR Flamengo, Tunisian outfit Espérance Sportive de Tunisie, and English side Chelsea FC.

The highly anticipated match will take place at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local time. The winner not only secures a spot in the tournament but also earns an initial payment of $9.55 million, with potential earnings reaching nearly $100 million from the $1 billion prize pool. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will feature 32 elite teams from around the globe, competing in 11 US cities from June 14 to July 13.