The decision to stage a playoff game was announced after the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed appeals from Leon, CF Pacucha and Costa Rica’s Alajuelense.
The move follows the decision to oust Leon from the Club World Cup – which is being held across the United States from June 14 to July 13 – because the club is owned by Grupo Pachuca, which also controls Liga MX side Pachuca, who are also taking part in the tournament.
Los Angeles FC advanced to the playoff on the basis of finishing as runners-up to Leon in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League.
América were chosen as their replacements due to their status as the “top-ranked team” in confederation rankings.
The winner of the playoff will line up in Group D of the Club World Cup, where they will face Premier League side Chelsea, Brazil’s Flamengo and Esperance Tunis of Tunisia. (AFP)
