Costa Rica’s most successful football club, Alajuelense, is seeking a place in next summer’s Club World Cup and has indicated its willingness to pursue legal action if its request is denied. The club, which boasts 30 league titles, is urging FIFA to uphold its regulations prohibiting clubs under the same ownership from participating in the tournament.
In a press release, Alajuelense emphasized that its claim is grounded in the eligibility principles established by FIFA. Team spokesman Marco Vazquez pointed out that Mexican clubs León and Pachuca share ownership under Jesús Martínez of Grupo Pachuca, which he argues violates FIFA’s multi-ownership rule.
“The rules are clear: there cannot be multi-ownership,” Vazquez stated on Wednesday. “We are asking FIFA to review its own regulations regarding these two Mexican clubs.”
The Club World Cup, which has expanded from seven to 32 teams, will take place in the United States from June to July 2025. However, FIFPRO, the global players’ union, has raised concerns about a potential strike due to the increasing demands on players’ physical and mental well-being from congested schedules. In preparation for a possible legal challenge, Alajuelense has engaged a law firm in Spain to assist with the details.
FIFA has yet to respond publicly to Alajuelense’s announcement and did not immediately provide a comment when contacted.
Currently, Alajuelense is the highest-ranked team in Central America according to CONCACAF standings, but it ranks 40th overall in the region. CONCACAF has secured four spots in the upcoming Club World Cup, with the qualified teams including the Seattle Sounders, Monterrey, León, and Pachuca. Additionally, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will participate as a guest team.
All five clubs are set to be included in the draw scheduled for December 5 in Miami. In Mexico, aside from León and Pachuca, two other entities own multiple first-division clubs: Grupo Caliente, which owns Tijuana and Querétaro, and Grupo Orlegi, which controls Atlas and Santos. TV Azteca owns Mazatlán and has partial ownership of Puebla.
Liga MX announced a ban on multi-ownership but granted club owners a four-year period to divest. Jesús Martínez Murguía, who oversees León, stated that he plans to sell part of the team to comply with the new regulations while retaining partial ownership.
Related topics
- Which 5 Football Teams Have the Best Uniforms
- Which Is the Best Soccer Team in the World
- Who Invented “Soccer”
