Brazilian soccer boss Ednaldo Rodrigues was re-elected as president on Monday, 12 days after his main rival Ronaldo Nazário gave up his bid. Rodrigues received all 67 votes, a first in the history of the Brazilian Football Confederation. The celebratory speech by the 71-year-old Rodrigues described “unparalleled unity that exists within Brazilian soccer today.” He will be in charge of the confederation when Brazil hosts the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Rodrigues’ second mandate at the CBF will officially start in April 2026 and run till 2030. He first took the job as interim president in 2021. Ronaldo, the two-time World Cup champion, gave up on his bid on March 12, saying he lacked the support of soccer executives to challenge Rodrigues. Rodrigues’ management has been under fire among fans and former players, though he continues to enjoy high approval among soccer executives.
His presidency has been marred by a legal dispute that sought to remove him from office. A Rio de Janeiro court ousted him in December 2023 for alleged irregularities in the election the previous year, but one month later Brazil’s Supreme Court overruled it.
At the time, FIFA and CONMEBOL executives threatened to suspend Brazil from international competitions because of alleged interference in the CBF by the judiciary.
During the brief suspension, Rodrigues’ biggest political gamble failed. He repeatedly said he had a deal with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to take over Brazil last July, but the Italian extended his contract with Madrid until 2026.
