The Teams and Stakes
Following their recent domestic title loss, the América team faces Los Angeles FC (LAFC) in a single-match elimination for the last spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which also guarantees a bonus close to $10 million.
Neutral Ground and Fan Support
The match, to be held at LAFC’s home stadium, the BMO Stadium, was deemed neutral by FIFA to comply with regulations for the tournament in the United States, which starts on July 14. Both teams accepted FIFA’s decision for a fair replay with equal ticket access on both sides.
The América team hopes for strong support from the large Mexican community in Los Angeles, filling the 22,000-seat stadium.
América’s Motivation
For Las Águilas, securing a place in the first-ever 32-club tournament would compensate for their recent heartbreaking loss in the Clausura 2025 final against Toluca, ending their four-title winning streak.
Head coach André Jardine must now focus on potential absences of key offensive players, Henry Martín and Brian Rodríguez, due to physical issues. If they play, Jardine will rely on Mexican-American striker Alejandro Zendejas and Spanish midfielder Álvaro Fidalgo.
Mexican and American Representation
Should América win, they would join Monterrey and Pachuca from Mexico in the Club World Cup. The MLS would also have three representatives if LAFC wins, with Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami (featuring Lionel Messi) already qualified.
LAFC, the MLS champion in 2022 and finalist in 2023, has been a dominant force in American soccer, attracting stars like Carlos Vela, Gareth Bale, and Giorgio Chiellini.
The Financial Reward
The winning team will replace León, who was excluded due to sharing a group with another participant, Pachuca, violating FIFA’s regulations.
LAFC earned the play-off spot by reaching the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup final, where León emerged victorious. América qualified through the best league position in the 2024 Concachampions standings.
The victor will join Group D alongside Chelsea (England), Flamengo (Brazil), and Espérance (Tunisia). Besides the prestige, significant financial incentives are at play.
The winning team will leave the BMO Stadium with a $9.55 million check, guaranteed by FIFA for each participant, and compete in an event distributing over $1 billion in prizes.
Projected Lineups
- Los Angeles FC: Hugo Lloris – Sergi Palencia, Eddie Segura, Aaron Long, Ryan Hollingshead – Timothy Tillman, Igor Jesus, Mark Delgado – David Martínez (or Jeremy Ebobisse), Nathan Ordaz, Denis Bouanga. Coach: Steve Cherundolo.
- América: Luis Malagón – Kevin Álvarez, Israel Reyes, Sebastián Cáceres, Cristian Borja, Ramón Juárez – Jonathan dos Santos, Álvaro Fidalgo, Erick Sánchez – Alejandro Zendejas, Rodrigo Aguirre (or Henry Martín). Coach: Andre Jardine.
Match Details: Time and Broadcast Information
- Time: 8:30 PM
- Via Channel 5, TUDN, and ViX Premium
