Elections 2026 in Brazil: The Return of Ex-Athletes!

Today is Election Day in Brazil, and, as always, the scene is full of familiar faces—especially those who have already made history in sports. It’s impressive to see so many former athletes and sports-related figures throwing their hats into politics. Let’s take a look at this year’s leading candidates!

Heavyweights of the List

Among the most notable names, the standout ones include:

• Vanderlei Luxemburgo: the famous former football coach, already known for leading the Brazilian national team and prominent clubs such as Real Madrid. He’s now running for senator in Tocantins for Podemos. Fun fact: in 2022, he also tried his luck for the same position with the PSB, but the party chose Carlos Amastha instead.

• Luís Fabiano (former São Paulo) and Edmundo (an idol at both Vasco and Palmeiras): both are running for office for the first time! The Fabuloso is running as a federal deputy in São Paulo for the MDB, while the Animal is aiming for the same role, but in Rio de Janeiro, for the PSDB.

• Marcelinho Carioca, a Corinthians icon, is the most experienced person in the group on the political front. He’s tried to get elected several times, and although he served in an office as a substitute in 2015, he’s now seeking to be a district deputy in the DF for Republicanos.

Shining Beyond Football

But it’s not just football players trying to make their move! We also have:

• Sarah Menezes: an Olympic judo champion and the first Brazilian woman to win gold in London 2012. Now she is running for federal deputy in Piauí for the MDB.

• Maurício Souza: a former volleyball setter and an Olympic champion in Rio 2016, seeking re-election as a federal deputy in Minas Gerais for the PL.

More Sports Candidates

Besides them, other sports personalities are in the race for re-election:

• Leila (volleyball) — senator
• Danrlei (former Grêmio goalkeeper) — federal deputy
• Eduardo Bandeira de Mello (former Flamengo president) — federal deputy
• Luiz Lima (swimming) — federal deputy
• Felipe Franco (bodybuilding) — state deputy in São Paulo

And we also have Marcos Braz, Flamengo’s former football vice president, who holds a substitute seat and is trying to stay in office.

Complete List of Candidates

Here’s a quick list of some of the athletes in the race:

• Luís Fabiano (former São Paulo) / MDB — federal deputy
• Edmundo / PSDB — federal deputy
• Marcelinho Carioca / Republicanos — district deputy
• Leila Barros (volleyball) / PDT — senator
• Sarah Menezes (judo) / MDB — federal deputy
• Maurício Souza (volleyball) / PL — federal deputy
• And many others!

These former athletes and sports personalities are ready to bring their experiences and their struggles into politics. You can be sure that the elections of 2026 in Brazil promise to be quite eventful!

So, who’s your favorite? Stay tuned for more updates!

Reaffirming that all the information presented here comes from reliable sources, such as the UOL’s firsthand reporting (materia em primeira mão do UOL).