Scandal in Brazil: CBF president accused of funding lover’s trip | OneFootball

The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Samir Xaud, has become embroiled in a major controversy after being publicly accused of using the organization’s financial resources to pay for lodging and travel for people from his inner circle.

According to the complaint echoed by the LeoDias outlet, Camila Cristina Andrade, a businesswoman in the fitness sector and originally from the same state as the executive, stayed at the luxurious Hyatt Regency Grand Central hotel in New York through a reservation that was directly linked to the confederation president. The outlet detailed the executive’s striking itinerary: one day after the woman left the United States, Xaud traveled to Mexico City, where he met up with his wife to attend the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup.

The accusations suggest that these irregularities are not an isolated incident, but rather a systematic practice that has persisted since the beginning of his tenure at the head of Brazilian football, after being elected in May 2025. A source close to the case was categorical about the handling of the institution’s accounts: “He took office more than a year ago and, since then, many trips have been paid for by the Confederation for friends, relatives, and lovers.”

In response to the strong impact of the news in the middle of the World Cup, the Brazilian Football Confederation issued an official statement denying the accusations and defending the executive’s budget management. In its response, the entity stated: “The expenses incurred by the entity are linked exclusively to the institutional activities of the CBF, and the private expenses of executives are covered by the executives themselves.” Along the same lines, the sports body sought to reassure the public and stated emphatically that it “has transparency, administrative responsibility, and a commitment to integrity as its pillars.”

This leadership storm is erupting at a crucial sporting moment for the Seleção in North America. On the field, Brazil opened its World Cup campaign with a lackluster 1-1 draw against Morocco last Saturday. Now, the squad must block out the institutional scandal to focus on its next Group C match, where it will face Haiti on Friday, June 19, before closing out the first phase against Scotland on Wednesday, June 24.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.