FPF Leadership Faces Stability Concerns Amid Uncontested Elections
Incumbent Set for Re-election as Departmental Elections Confirm Status Quo
The upcoming Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) presidential elections on August 18 appear to be a foregone conclusion, with no opposition list emerging. Recent departmental elections in June saw a significant majority of incumbent presidents re-elected, solidifying the current leadership’s position.
Departmental Elections Cement Lozano’s Path to Re-election
The FPF has proceeded with departmental elections without public announcements or official statements on social media. Out of 25 departmental presidents, a staggering 21 have been re-elected. This widespread re-endorsement is expected to translate into votes favoring the current president, **Agustín Lozano**, in the upcoming August 18th national elections.
Election Dynamics and Voting Power
The election for the FPF president for the 2026-2030 period was initially scheduled for December but was moved forward by the FPF in early July. With no opposing candidates, the likelihood of a single electoral list, similar to 2021, is high, making **Lozano**’s re-election highly probable.
While **Lozano** himself stated in early June that he hadn’t considered re-election and had “other priorities,” his path to another term seems clear. The statutes allow for 67 votes to elect the president. However, this number is reduced due to specific league structures and clubs under bankruptcy administration.
Currently, five clubs – Alianza Lima, Universitario, Cienciano, Sport Boys, and Melgar – are ineligible to vote due to bankruptcy administration. Additionally, League 1 has 19 clubs instead of the 20 stipulated by statutes. This reduces the total valid votes to 61. The 25 departmental presidents, who constitute 41% of the vote, are largely backing **Lozano**.
Long Tenures Raise Concerns Over Institutional Growth
An analysis of the re-elected departmental presidents reveals concerningly long tenures. As of June, six presidents had served 23 years in their positions, with their re-election extending their terms to 27 years. **Franklin Chuquizuta**, president of Amazonas, has led his league for two decades and was re-elected unopposed.
Other presidents, like **José Antonio Ríos Barrera** of Moquegua and **Reynaldo Lima** of Huancavelica, have also secured re-election with single lists, guaranteeing their continued leadership for another four years. In total, 21 out of 25 departmental presidents secured re-election or will continue as interim leaders.
This extended leadership does not appear to correlate with improvements in youth and senior national team performance. Recent statistics highlight failures, such as last-place finishes in the 2025 South American U15 and U20 championships.
The long tenure of many officials is a persistent issue. As of the June elections, 19 of the 25 departmental presidents had been in their posts for at least a decade, with four having been re-elected for another term. Six of these officials are now set to complete 27 years in their roles.
The trend of incumbents securing re-election, often unopposed, was evident across the country. For example, in Cusco, **Dante Zegarra Zalazar** was re-elected, as was **Juan Cabrera Vásquez** in San Martín, **Edgardo Grade Cruz** in Lima, and **José Baca Antón** in Piura. Only four new presidents were registered among the 25 departmental leagues.
In contrast, FIFA’s global review of football governance shows a trend towards term limits. For instance, the **Scottish FA** implemented a maximum of 12 years for its President in 2021, aiming to invigorate leadership and foster new strategies. This contrasts sharply with the prolonged tenures seen within the FPF structure.