Ednaldo Rodrigues, 71, was reelected this Monday (24) the president of the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation). After the failed attempt by former player Ronaldo to launch an opposing candidacy, the current agent was a winner for acclamation for having no other opponent.
Historically, presidents would raise sufficient support from state federations in the months preceding the election, making the claim a mere formality – the last time the CBF elections had two competitors was in 1989.
“Over the past few years, we have faced a lot of challenges. We have suffered all kinds of prejudice and persecution. They even tried a blow. We resisted and won,” said Ednaldo, who obtained the votes of the 27 federations and the 40 clubs of series A and B.
In the final stretch of his current term and throughout the cycle of next, from March 2026 to March 2030, the leader will have the mission of fulfilling an important and difficult promise, to combat discrimination in football, especially racism.
The commitment is even in the motto defined by the Cartola plate: “for a more inclusive football and without discrimination of any kind.” Despite emphasizing the “inclusion”, there is no woman in the group indicated to compose the vice presidents. There are eight men.
It is the fight against racism, however, the main flag of Ednaldo Rodrigues. And the reason he entered a collision route with Conmebol (South American Football Confederation) on the eve of the election.
After the signature of the CBF president appeared in a letter against racism made by Conmebol and the nine other federations of South America, with a text to support the measures of the entity against discrimination, the CBF turned back and said disagreeing with the content of the publication and also the way of conducting the recurring cases.
In a letter signed by Rodrigues, the president of the Brazilian Confederation raises the tone of criticism to Alejandro Domínguez, who presides over the South American Confederation.
The main case cited by the Brazilian leader to show his discontent with the measures of Conmebol happened in the game between Palmeiras and Cerro Porteño, for the Libertadores U-20, when the player Luighi was the victim of racism.
“The CBF vehemently disagrees with the performance of Conmebol in cases of racisms, much less than the entity is in accordance with the most rigorous measures implemented in the most important alloys, confederations and FIFA,” says excerpt from the craft.
According to the document, the penalty imposed by the entity to the Paraguayan club was “an innocuous, ineffective and insufficient sanction in the face of the severity of the event, the irreparable damage caused to the athletes and the recurrence of the Paraguayan club.”
Since the letter released by the Confederations by Conmebol had the signature of Ednaldo, the CBF also made a point of pointing out that this was made by a member of the office of the leader, who would have allowed him to sign because he contained an invitation to a meeting.
More than charges to the maximum entity of South American football, the agent of the Confederation of Brazil knows that it will be charged for practical actions to show CBF’s commitment to the fight against racism, including in the case involving the Palmeiras player.
Last week, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into a possible omission of the CBF in the episode quoted. The inquiry determines a supposed negligence in defending the player, in actions that would not have been taken by the CBF, including asking access to the Precedent, questioning the interruption of the match and not contesting the fine of $ 50,000 (R $ 287 thousand), considered small.
The CBF has ten days to answer the MPF questions, which marked a meeting for March 28, with the Minister of Sports, André Fufuca (PP-MA), the President of the Confederation, as well as representatives of the Jusracial entity, author of the representation.
In addition to this case, which has gained repercussion, Ednaldo Rodrigues knows that it will also be charged for actions to combat racism not only in Brazilian football, but in international competitions in which Brazil clubs are involved.
As the last change in the CBF statute will allow Ednaldo to compete for a new reelection at the end of his next term, he may be at the head of the maximum Brazilian football entity until March 2034, always under the collection of his promise to combat every form of prejudice.
“We were pioneers in the global leadership of the fight against racism, implementing measures such as the partnership with the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football, the RGC reform (General Regulation of Competitions) with sports sanctions and the #ComracismAnThe game campaign, winner of the FIFA The Best Award,” said the reelected president.
Selection in crisis, exchange of technicians and judicial disputes mark Ednaldo’s first management
President of the Bahia Football Federation for almost two decades, the top hat took the president of the CBF for the first time in August 2021 in an interim way after the removal of Rogério Caboclo. He was elected for the first mandate on a single plate in March 2022.
At the time under the command of Tite, the national team had good results in the period, taking advantage of more than 80% and only one defeat, but the draw with Croatia culminated in the elimination in the Qatar Cup on penalties.
With the new drop in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, Tite left office, and the demand for a new coach generated the first wear and tear of the CBF president.
In search of a heavy name to lead the team, Ednaldo even indicated the hiring of Real Madrid Italian Carlo Ancelotti, but only one year ago in mid -2024.
In the meantime, Ramon Menezes, borrowed from the under-20 team, and Fernando Diniz, divided with Fluminense, took over, unable to deliver the expected results. With the duo, the team accumulated five losses, three wins and a draw, with only 37%, one of the worst in history.
Pressured for the lack of results on the pitch, which also had the non -classification of the men’s team for Paris Games, Ednaldo still had to deal with a court dispute by the entity’s command.
In December 2023, he was dismissed by decision of the TJ-RJ (Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice), by understanding that an agreement signed between the CBF and the MPF (Federal Prosecutor), which paved the way for its election, was illegal. After a series of comings and goings in the courts, the leader was reappointed in January 2024, by decision of the Supreme Court (STF).
As soon as he resumed the seat, the first decision was to dismiss Fernando Diniz. With Ancelotti renewing with Real Madrid and the pressure by a definitive name, Ednaldo agreed with Dorival Júnior in the early days of 2024 to lead Brazil to the World Cup.
With team difficulties in finding the ideal training without Neymar, the year 2025 will be important for the president of CBF to evaluate the permanence of the current coaching staff by 2026.
Last week, amid preparations for major duels from the team on the way to the World Cup, against Colombia and Argentina, Ednaldo summoned the protocol elections of the entity for this Monday.
Former player Ronaldo Nazário even announced his candidacy, but did not find back to continue with the endeavor. According to him, of the 27 federations sought, found 23 closed doors.
Ednaldo assumes his second term with the commitment made to the clubs of greater transparency and participation in the management and support for the creation of a Brazilian Football League.
