The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer's Club World Cup and says it is willing to take legal action if denied.
Alajuelense, which has won 30 league titles, wants FIFA to enforce the rule that forbids clubs from the same ownership to participate in the tournament.
“The claim is based on the principles of eligibility set in the rules of the tournament," the club said in a press release.
Team spokesman Marco Vazquez noted that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca.
“Those are the rules that FIFA established — there cannot be multi-ownership," Vazquez said Wednesday. “There are two Mexican clubs from the same owner and the rulebook is clear. What we are asking is to review what FIFA itself established.”
The FIFA-run competition has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will be staged in the United States from June to July next year. FIFPRO, however, said a players’ strike can’t be ruled out. The players’ union has concerns about the physical and mental impact on players as a result of an increasingly congested schedule.
Teams that qualified expect to earn millions in FIFA prize money at the tournament.
Vazquez said Alajuelense has “hired a law firm in Spain, and they have all the details” of the team's potential legal action.
FIFA has not publicly reacted to the team's announcement and didn't immediately answer a request for comment.
Alajuelense is the best-ranked team in Central America for the CONCACAF but 40th overall in the region.
CONCACAF has four spots in the Club World Cup. The teams that qualified are: the Seattle Sounders, Monterrey, Leon and Pachuca. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will participate as a guest of the host.
All five clubs were announced for the Dec. 5 draw in Miami.
In Mexico, besides Leon and Pachuca, there are another two companies that own two or more clubs in the first division. Grupo Caliente owns Tijuana and Queretaro, while Grupo Orlegi controls Atlas and Santos. TV Azteca owns Mazatlan and has partial ownership of Puebla.
On May 2023, the Liga MX announced that multi-ownership will be forbidden but gave owners four years to sell.
Jesus Martinez Murguia, who runs the Leon club, said they will sell part of the team to comply with the rules but will still have a partial ownership.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Carlos Rodriguez, The Associated Press
