zeest_mediaAlejandro Domínguez’s tenure as president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) reached its tenth anniversary on January 26, 2026, a period of profound changes in the organization of regional football, guided by the principle of “reinvesting in football what football generates.”
Luque,Paraguay (Zeest Media) January 29, 2026. The CONMEBOL administration began its term in 2016, determined to make the organization fully transparent, professionalize the institution and its talent, create clear rules, and above all, reinvest in football. Domínguez himself once said that upon taking charge, his administration found a “confederation run like a nineteenth-century organization, managed like a personal pantry. The confederation itself paid the family expenses not only of the members of the presidency, but of everyone around them.”
“The end was money and the means was football. What we did was focus on football and the entire ecosystem that lives around football.”
The administration began by streamlining the statutes, amending them to protect CONMEBOL from the influence of those who might temporarily lead it. This and other measures, such as the first forensic audit conducted by a football confederation, allowed it to regain institutional credibility and reopen access to credit. CONMEBOL also managed to recover more than $130 million linked to the FIFA Gate corruption scandal and, over time, obtained ISO quality certifications for its anti-bribery measures and compliance.
Focus on football
Once the institution and management were transformed, the aim was to enhance the value of the tournaments and create a virtuous cycle in which better tournaments became more attractive to rights holders and sponsors, generating higher revenues that, in turn, were reinvested in the South American associations. CONMEBOL maintains that it allocates 100% of its expenses to football. According to the institution, 95% is invested directly in its member associations, clubs, technology, and logistics through various tournaments and development programs. The remaining 5% is allocated to the management of South American football. More than USD 587 million have been invested in member associations, and more than 60 stadiums in South America have been renovated at a cost of USD 180 million. All of this has allowed for the organization of high-quality tournaments, which have increased prize money for participating clubs by more than 442% between 2015 and 2025.
In parallel, and without pause, there has been a commitment to the development of women’s football at the regional level—with investment growing by almost 200% between 2018 and 2024—as well as youth football. Eight tournaments were created for more than 500,000 young people, and each year more than 20,000 girls have the opportunity to play football. And it’s not just about providing sports equipment. Coach training hours were increased, with more than 26 courses offered in three languages. And more than USD 150 million were invested in infrastructure, training, and institutional management.
Results
The effort deployed over these 10 years, CONMEBOL’s renewed image, and effective management have allowed the region to host nine FIFA World Cups in the following disciplines: Futsal; Women’s U-17; Beach Soccer; Men’s U-17; Men’s U-20; and Women’s U-20. Additionally, the 75th FIFA Congress was held in Paraguay in 2025.During this period, nine world championships were won, beginning with the FIFA World Cup in Qatar (won by Argentina in 2022); the U-20 World Cup (Uruguay in 2023); the U-17 World Cup (Brazil in 2019); the Beach Soccer World Cup (Brazil in 2017, 2024, and 2025); the Futsal World Cup (Argentina in 2016 and Brazil in 2024); and the Women’s Futsal World Cup (Brazil in 2025).
Technology as support
CONMEBOL has also focused on producing better tournaments for spectators and football fans. It began by establishing high-quality standards in the production and broadcasting of matches. The VAR system is currently used in all matches of the major tournaments and has positioned the organization as a pioneer in its implementation. As a complement, it has created the first Referee Technology Center (CETA) in the region. Furthermore, efforts have been made to improve the spectator experience by creating single-match finals in the major tournaments.
These changes have resulted in record-breaking audience figures.
Closer to the communities
That football is a passion for millions of people in South America is nothing new. And as an integral part of football, CONMEBOL has opened itself up to the communities; directly through its social initiatives in Luque, Paraguay, where it is headquartered, and indirectly through its member associations. It created the SUMA complex in Luque, an educational and comprehensive training space for children and teenagers -financed entirely with funds recovered from the FIFA Gate- and has completely remodeled his CONMEBOL Museum, with more than 120,000 visits since its reopening. At the regional level, its actions during the pandemic stand out. More than USD 95 million in various forms of financial aid were provided when the COVID-19 virus paralyzed football and its future was shrouded in uncertainty.
Once vaccines became available, CONMEBOL distributed more than 50,000 doses to South American football and to the wider community. Thus, after a decade of effort, the organization achieved a couple of milestones that will be unforgettable. In 2027, Brazil will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and in 2030, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will host matches from the FIFA World Cup in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, commemorating the centenary of Uruguay’s victory in the first World Cup, on home soil in 1930.
Organization
Media Contact:
Name: July Caceres
Email: mcaceres@conmebol.com
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