Amid the kickoff of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the globalsoccer governing body introduced some unexpected changes that quickly caught fans off guard. Aiming to make an impact on the sports industry, FIFA unveiled several new elements during the event’s grand opening — but one in particular stirred controversy, involving James Rodríguez’s former club, León.
After months of hype and anticipation, expectations were high that FIFA would avoid missteps during such a high-profile tournament. However, Saturday night’s presentation was not without controversy, and frustration quickly erupted in León.
As is standard with major tournaments, the organizers put together an official broadcast intro for television audiences worldwide. This typically includes visuals and references to the participating teams. But here’s where things went wrong.
Despite being disqualified from the tournament weeks ago, León was still included in the broadcast as one of the competing clubs. The Mexican side had been ruled out of the 2025 Club World Cup by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) due to a ruling on multi-ownership, with LAFC replacing them after a Play-In victory over Club América.
Still, during the opening match between Inter Miami and Al Ahly, FIFA’s broadcast featured León as a tournament participant — an error that fans and media picked up on immediately. The mishap was especially jarring given the ongoing tension between León’s management and FIFA following the club’s exclusion.
Clips from the broadcast showing León’s logo and branding in the pre-match visuals quickly circulated on social media, prompting backlash and ridicule. Despite the official change weeks ago, it appeared FIFA had failed to update their materials in time, further fueling criticism over their handling of the tournament’s presentation.
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This oversight only adds to the drama surrounding León’s controversial exit and raises questions about FIFA’s communication and attention to detail in one of its most ambitious events to date.
