Brazil court ousts CBF president days after Ancelotti appointment

A Rio de Janeiro court ordered the board of Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF) to be removed from their positions, including president Ednaldo Rodrigues on Thursday.

Fernando Sarney, one of the CBF’s vice-presidents who requested Rodrigues’ removal, was appointed interim president and was tasked with holding elections “as soon as possible”.

Rodrigues, who was successfully re-elected in March, is facing his second removal just three days after the announcement of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti as the new manager of the Brazil national team, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

The CBF told Reuters it would not comment immediately.

The court case concerns the alleged forgery of former CBF president Antonio Carlos Nunes de Lima’s signature on an agreement with Rodrigues earlier this year.

The agreement effectively allowed Rodrigues to be re-elected as leader of the organisation until 2030.

In his decision, Rio de Janeiro court judge Gabriel de Oliveira Zefiro said that Nunes’ defence cited health issues that prevented him from attending a hearing, adding that the former president’s mental capacity had been in doubt since 2018, when he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

“I declare null and void the agreement signed between the parties, previously approved by the Superior Court, due to the mental incapacity and possible forgery of the signature of Antonio Carlos Nunes de Lima,” the judge said.

“As a result the logical consequence is the recognition of the illegitimacy of the current CBF administration. The entity cannot remain leaderless, and it is imperative that lawful elections be held, in accordance with the law,” he added.

Rodrigues had previously been removed as president in December 2023, following a ruling by the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice, after a dispute over the CBF’s electoral process.

However, a month later, Brazilian Justice Minister Gilmar Mendes ordered his reinstatement, citing the risk of the Brazil national team being barred by FIFA.

FIFA, nonetheless, ruled out sanctionsfollowing Rodrigues’ return, as it does not accept government interference in football affairs.