Less than 24 hours after watching their renowned national team defeat Senegal in a London friendly, a group of Brazilian Football Association (CBF) officials were in France for a productive visit to FIFA’s Paris office. Their discussions with the FIFA Member Associations Division, which is headquartered there, underscored the efficiency and connectivity afforded by FIFA’s presence in the city where it was founded. The CBF delegation was led by President Samir Xaud, who was elected to the post in May. He was joined by Vice President Gustavo Henrique. They spent time meeting with FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov and Gelson Fernandes, who is FIFA’s Deputy Chief Member Associations Officer and Regional Director, Africa. “Welcoming the CBF delegation, led by President Samir Xaud, to the FIFA Paris office was a great opportunity to reaffirm the strong collaboration between CBF and FIFA, and to reiterate FIFA’s commitment to supporting all Member Associations,” said Mr Mammadov. “As Brazil looks ahead to key milestones, including its participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the hosting of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, our engagement will continue to grow in support of both tournament preparations and the broader development of football in Brazil. These in-person exchanges highlight the value of close collaboration and reflect our shared commitment to making football truly global.”

It is a busy time for football in Brazil, which will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ across eight cities and will be the first FIFA Women’s World Cup™ staged in South America. The Brazilian men are preparing to chase a record-extending sixth FIFA World Cup™ crown next summer in North America, while this month’s Copa Libertadores final will send either CR Flamengo or SE Palmeiras to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ in December. Brazil’s women’s futsal team, which sits atop the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Ranking, are among the favourites at the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™, which will take place from 21 November to 7 December in the Philippines. “We discussed ongoing projects, challenges, opportunities and their preparation for the next FIFA World Cup, for which Brazil is already qualified, as well as the Women's World Cup in 2027,” added Mr Fernandes. “The presence of their President and Vice Presidents underlines the importance they place on this collaboration.” FIFA was founded in Paris in 1904 and returned to the city to open a regional office in 2021. “Football is truly global, and the recent visit of the Brazilian Football Confederation to our new Paris office is a strong example of that,” Mr Fernandes concluded. “Our ability to welcome them in Paris and maintain a presence in different parts of the world demonstrates how global and connected our work has become. The proximity, the time spent together, and the continuation of our joint efforts were truly valuable. It was a great moment and a concrete demonstration of what we aim to achieve.”