Ednaldo Rodrigues has been re-elected to the Presidency of the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) for a second term in office. This decision followed the election held on Monday. The electoral process unfolded during the CBF assembly, where Rodrigues emphasized the unity prevailing within Brazilian soccer. On the other hand, Ronaldo – a sporting legend and FIFA candidate – exited the race after failing to galvanize enough support from national football federations.
Rodrigues’ second mandate begins in April 2026. He largely succeeded taking advantage of a loophole in the CBF statutes to push the election date up a year from its original plan in March 2026. The show of support from all 67 of his colleagues sealed Rodrigues’ unanimous re-election.
Unity Within Brazilian Soccer
CBF assembly, and the CBF president congratulating himself on the new-found unity in Brazilian soccer. Rodrigues capped off the assembly by speaking about the power of the collective that exists in the sport now.
"Today we celebrate the unparalleled unity that exists within Brazilian soccer today," said Ednaldo Rodrigues.
Rodrigues' leadership has been marked by efforts to enhance cohesion and dialogue within the game, as he aims to strengthen Brazil's position as a host nation for the 2027 Women's World Cup.
Ronaldo's Withdrawal and Criticism
Ronaldo, who had planned to contest the role, withdrew after failing to gain support from a majority of the local federations. Thoroughly frustrated with the state of our electoral system, he lashed out at every unsuccessful attempt to bring about change.
"My life is football, I felt a duty to try to improve Brazilian football with what I had to offer. I knew it was difficult, but I didn't realise it was impossible. The system doesn't really let anyone in," Ronaldo stated.
Ronaldo’s withdrawal brought into focus the difficulties any would-be challengers to the CBF elections face, which he said hardly ever have competition.
"It's no coincidence that there has never been a CBF election with more than one candidate," noted Ronaldo.
Election Process and Future Prospects
This body tasked with electing the CBF leader is made up of 27 regional federations, each given three votes — one for each Brazilian state. The 20 full member Serie A clubs each have two votes apiece. The 20 second-tier serie B teams are assigned one vote each. This apparatus proved to be a central pillar in Rodrigues’ re-election.
Rodrigues' second term aims to bolster Brazilian football's image on the global stage. His grand vision is to build bridges and harmony through soccer, promote inclusiveness, and find opportunities to leverage Brazil’s advantages as a natural host country.
"Our work is to clean the image of Brazilian soccer and I'm proud that we are on the right path. Today we are giving an example that things can be done with dialogue and cohesion and we have a great chance to show the world our strength as a host nation of 2027 Women's World Cup," stated Ednaldo Rodrigues.
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