Chelsea Champions League winner, 38, could be set for emotional clash against Blues in Club World Cup after draw drama
FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has confirmed Chelsea’s opening Club World Cup opponents are set to be decided by a single game play-off.
And that could bring a reunion with former Blues striker Olivier Giroud at MLS side LAFC.
Plans for the 32-team tournament, offering a record £870m prize pot, were thrown in the air last month when Mexican outfit Club Leon were booted out of the event by world chiefs.
Fifa’s regulations for the expanded tournament stated that no clubs under the same multi-club ownership umbrella could compete.
Leon are part of the same group as fellow Mexican side Pachuca and have ignored demands for the club to be hived off from the overall ownership company.
While Leon have lodged a complaint with the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to overturn the Fifa decision, it emerged last month that a play-off involving LAFC and another Mexican side, Club America, was being planned.
And despite claims from Spain that Barcelona were in the mix to take part, Infantino has now confirmed the play-off plan – as long as CAS rules in Fifa’s favour.
Speaking on a visit to Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium, where Chelsea’s opening game will be played on June 16, the Fifa President said: “In a couple of weeks we will have the final and definitive decision, we will respect any decision.
“What we are looking at is that, if CAS confirms the decision of the Appeals Committee, FIFA’s intention is to play a match, a playoff, between the team that lost the final of the Concacaf Champions League, LAFC, and the next team in the ranking, which is Club America.”
Infantino’s announcement came despite the tournament regulations stating no country could have more than two participants UNLESS they were all winners of their confederation’s main club competition in the four year qualification cycle.
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Those regulations meant the likes of European giants Liverpool and Barcelona, who would have qualified through their four-year coefficient ranking, missed out in favour of teams including Ajax and
Salzburg.
Mexico already have Pachuca and Monterrey in the tournament as winners of the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2024 and 2021 respectively – Leon were 2023 winners – while the US is represented by Seattle Sounders, who won in 2022 and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
That has brought a separate CAS suit by Costa Rican club Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, who argue that they are the highest-placed side in the Concacaf rankings who are not disqualified by representing either the US or Mexico.
Fifa, though, appear to be dismissing that claim, with both potential replacements for Leon able to bring substantial value to the tournament.
LAFC, who also include former Spurs skipper Hugo Lloris, are part-owned by US actor and comedian Will Ferrell, while Club America are the most widely supported club in Mexico.
Fifa will not announce the date or venue of the play-off until after the CAS ruling but it is expected to be played in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium next month.
Chelsea’s other two opponents in Group D are Brazilians Flamengo, who they meet in Philadelphia on June 20, and Tunisian outfit Esperance, with the final group game in the same venue four days later.
The Blues have already been assured of around £30m in appearance money for the inaugural version of the expanded 32-team competition, with a further £67m up for grabs in potential prize money.
England’s other representatives, Manchester City, start against Morocco’s Wydad in Philadelphia on June 18.
They then meet Abu Dhabi outfit Al Ain in Atlanta before finishing against Juventus in Orlando on June 26.
Fifa say there are no multi-club ownership issues despite Al Ain’s President being Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the BROTHER of City President Shaikh Mansour.
If they win their respective groups, the two Prem sides cannot meet until the Final in New York on July 13.