LAFC, Club América to decide final participant in 2025 FIFA Club World Cup | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Play-In features Los Angeles FC against Club América on Saturday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Following the recent Court of Arbitration for Sport decisions, FIFA decided that the final club to be admitted to the tournament will be determined by a Play-In match between LAFC, runners-up in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League, and Club América, the top-ranked team in the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking at the conclusion of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, the final year of the qualifying period.

The winner of the Play-In will join recent Concacaf Champions Cup winners CF Monterrey, Seattle Sounders FC, CF Pachuca, and tournament hosts Inter Miami CF in the first edition of the expanded 32-team format, which will be played every four years.

A place in Group D along the likes of Brazilian club Flamengo, Tunisian side Espérance de Tunis, and English giants Chelsea FC awaits the victor of Saturday’s match.

LAFC seeks first Club World Cup

LAFC seeks to advance to the FIFA Club World Cup in one of the club’s final challenges under head coach Steve Cherundolo, who has announced his departure at the end of the current MLS season.

The California side recently competed in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, where it went as far as the quarterfinals until exiting against Inter Miami CF.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris commands the backline in his second season with the club. The FIFA World Cup winner helped LAFC to a 2024 U.S. Open Cup title to qualify for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, where he amassed the third most saves (17) in the edition.

Dénis Bouanga scored three goals in the CCC and tallied 21 shots, the third most in the current edition. Bouanga also leads the club with seven MLS goals in the current season.

FIFA World Cup winner Olivier Giroud, U.S. defender Aaron Long, and Salvadoran rising star Nathan Ordaz are also names to follow for the Black-and-Gold.

América seeks to soar into Club World Cup

Club América arrives as runners-up of the Liga MX Clausura 2025 season and seeks another title under Brazilian coach André Jardine.

Las Águilas also reached the quarterfinals of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, exiting on the minimal difference against Mexico City rivals and eventual finalists Cruz Azul.

Goalkeeper Luis Ángel Malagón tallied eight saves in the latest CCC and was recently named to a third Liga MX Best XI selection. He also helped Mexico to the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League titles, winning the Best Goalkeeper Award, presented by Rexona in the 2025 CNL Finals.

Álvaro Fidalgo was also among the Liga MX Best XI for the latest campaign and contributed two goals in the 2025 CCC. The Spanish midfielder has been an important figure since his arrival with the Mexican giants in 2021, named to the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League team of the tournament.

The América frontline features plenty of options with the likes of Mexican star Henry Martín, Uruguayan winger Brian Rodríguez, and U.S. man Alejandro Zendejas.