Yamil Bukele, brother of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, took office Friday as president of the country’s soccer federation (Fesfut), pledging to run the organization honestly and revive a struggling national game. His appointment ends FIFA’s intervention in Fesfut. In 2022, FIFA installed a normalization committee after several federation officials were accused of fraudulent administration and money laundering.
You will not find, as in my 15 years as a sports executive, any problem or anything bad to report from my management, Bukele said. In September 2024, FIFA replaced members of the normalization committee and named Panamanian Rolando González to lead it. González formally handed control of the federation to Bukele.
Bukele said FIFA expects a lot from the new leadership, especially on administrative issues. The 47-year-old was elected unanimously as the sole candidate at a congress held in a San Salvador hotel, attended by delegates from the country’s various local leagues. He will serve a four-year term.
He also asked fans for patience, responding to social media demands for immediate results. I know people are disappointed, but I also know people are happy because I am here, Bukele said, adding that progress will require work and communication and that rebuilding will be a process. He said he hopes everyone lives long enough to see El Salvador win again.
Bukele said he will soon resign as president of the National Sports Institute (Indes), a post he has held since his brother appointed him in 2019. The Indes oversees all sports in the country except soccer. President Nayib Bukele remains highly popular for his crackdown on gangs, though NGOs accuse his government of serious human rights abuses.
Yamil Bukele said his mission at Fesfut is to strengthen soccer by improving infrastructure and training sports personnel. He also said the national team will continue under Colombian coach Hernán Darío Gómez, known as El Bolillo, who failed to qualify El Salvador for the 2026 World Cup.
