Reinaldo Teixeira had been president of the Algarve Football Association since 2019
Reinaldo Teixeira, hailing from the Loulé town of Salir in the Algarve, has been elected president of Liga Portugal, the body that runs professional football in the country. With deep ties to the Algarve – including roles at the University of Algarve and the Algarve Football Association – Teixeira will now lead the league until 2027.
In a decisive vote held in Porto, Teixeira secured 42 votes against his opponent José Gomes Mendes’ 10, marking the first contested election for the position in nearly a decade.
He is the successor of Pedro Proença, who left Liga Portugal in the middle of his term to lead the Portuguese Football Federation.
While still celebrating his win, Teixeira recognised that he has a tough task ahead of him.
“The reality is raw and demands urgency. The Portuguese League is not balanced and is falling in the UEFA ranking,” said the new league boss, admitting that the huge gap between Portugal’s top clubs and the rest and the lack of spectators in the stands at many first and second league matches is an issue he wants to tackle.
“There’s no time to lose,” he added.
His victory in the election has been celebrated in the Algarve. The University of the Algarve has congratulated Teixeira, with rector Paulo Águas expressing confidence in Teixeira’s ability to unite professional football and achieve success in his new role.
Lagoa’s municipal council has also publicly congratulated Teixeira.
“This is a role of great responsability and impact, and we believe his leadership will be marked by professionalism, innovation and constructive dialogue with everyone in football,” said Lagoa mayor Luís Encarnação.
