Brazil face being banned from playing in 2026 World Cup after FIFA threat
FIFA have issued an explosive warning to Brazil over their participation in the 2026 World Cup in Canada, America, and Mexico.
World football's governing body has threatened the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) with a ban of national teams and clubs from international competitions. The issue centres around the apparent intention of the CBF to intervene and order a snap election of a new President to replace Ednaldo Rodrigues.
Earlier this month Rodrigues, 69, and all his appointees were removed from office following a court ruling in Rio de Janeiro. The judge cited irregularities in the 2022 election, with Brazil's two highest courts duly upholding that decision last week.
The Rio court ruling also deemed that Jose Perdiz, the head of Brazil's top sports court, should be the intervener to organise new elections for the presidency within 30 working days. But FIFA forbids government and third-party interference in its member associations.
And they have now written to a Brazilian football executive to warn that the CBF faces a suspension if they ignore their guidelines to wait before holding the elections. The document has been obtained by ESPN and The Associated Press, with South American football authority CONMEBOL backing FIFA.
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"FIFA and CONMEBOL would like to strongly emphasise that, until such mission takes place, no decision affecting CBF, including any elections or call for elections, shall be taken," it read. "Should this not be respected, FIFA will have no other option but to submit the matter to its relevant decision-making body for consideration and decision, which might also include a suspension.
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(Getty Images)"For the sake of good order, we would also like to underline that should CBF be eventually suspended by the relevant FIFA body, it would lose all of its membership rights with immediate effect and until the suspension is lifted by FIFA. This would also mean that CBF representative and club teams would no longer be entitled to take part in any international competition while it is suspended."
The document also says that any irregular interference in its member associations "can lead to sanctions as provided for in the FIFA Statutes, including a suspension, and this even if the third-party influence was/is not the fault of the member association concerned."
The letter was signed by FIFA's Kenny Jean-Marie, its chief members' association officer, and CONMEBOL's deputy secretary-general, Monserrat Jiménez Garcia. Both authorities now intend to form a commission in Brazil to discuss the matter further on January 8.
The developments could potentially scupper Brazil's bid to host the 2027 Women's World Cup. The male side have played in all 22 World Cup tournaments, winning it a record five times.
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