Brazilian Clubs Boycott CBF Election Over Power Imbalance and Lack of Transparency

A group of 20 Brazilian clubs from Serie A and B have declared they will boycott Sunday’s presidential election of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), citing a lack of democracy and transparency. According to Inside World Football, the election will see Samir Xaud, president of the Roraima FA, run unopposed and expected to win.

The boycott includes major clubs such as Flamengo, Corinthians, Internacional, and São Paulo. In a joint statement, the clubs expressed their willingness to engage with the incoming leadership to discuss reforms to the CBF’s electoral system and broader governance.

In Brazil, the CBF presidency requires the backing of eight state federations, significantly sidelining the clubs. Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, head of the São Paulo FA, failed to stand despite support from 29 clubs, having secured backing from only two federations.

This controversy follows a Rio court’s removal of Ednaldo Rodrigues for the second time, linked to a forged document and financial mismanagement allegations. Rodrigues also lost his FIFA Council seat, with Claudio Tapia of Argentina named his replacement by Conmebol earlier this week.

Adding weight to the protest, Brazilian football legends Ronaldo, Cafu, and Dunga issued a public statement denouncing the system’s lack of inclusiveness. They called for reforms to give clubs and players more say in the CBF’s decision-making, warning against a federation governed by administrators over those who “bring crowds to the stadiums.”