A court in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the removal of Ednaldo Rodrigues, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, over problems with his employment contract.
The ruling, made on Thursday, May 15, declared that the agreement between Rodrigues and the CBF was “null and void.” The judge said one of the people who signed the 2025 contract was mentally unfit at the time, raising concerns of possible forgery.
Rodrigues was first elected president in 2022. But in 2023, a court suspended him, saying the election had irregularities. He was later reinstated after Brazil’s Supreme Court stepped in, especially after FIFA warned Brazil could face a ban from international competitions.
FIFA and South American football body CONMEBOL both opposed Rodrigues’ earlier removal. They insisted that football federations must stay free from political or legal interference.
Despite the legal issues, Rodrigues was re-elected in March 2025 to serve as president until 2030.
Before the latest court decision, Rodrigues told reporters at a FIFA event in Paraguay, “I have absolute certainty that the document is valid.”
Rodrigues was also involved in talks to appoint Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti as Brazil’s national team coach, though that plan fell apart earlier. Ancelotti has now taken the job, replacing former coach Zinedine Zidane.
It is unclear who will take over leadership of the CBF following the court’s ruling.
