Santos have appointed Neymar da Silva Santos as CEO on an interim basis until the end of 2026, with his future beyond that tied to the club's 12 December election. The club's new executive will lead strategic management for the rest of the year, but he stays in office only if Marcelo Teixeira is re-elected.

That makes this a significant move, but not a settled one. Santos have filled an important vacancy in the boardroom while leaving the longer-term decision to club politics next month.

The appointment and the condition attached

A Bola reported that Neymar da Silva Santos will run Santos' strategic management through to the end of 2026. His own description of the arrangement left little room for confusion.

"Neymar da Silva Santos assumes the role and the strategic management of the club until the end of the year, but, if the current president wins the elections in December, he remains in office," he told A Bola, in comments translated from Portuguese.

The key point is straightforward: this is not a permanent appointment. His continuity depends on the result of the 12 December election, and specifically on whether Marcelo Teixeira keeps the presidency.

A Bola also carried the formal announcement of the move: "Neymar Pai is the new CEO of Santos FC! Together with president Marcelo Teixeira, the businessman has formalized his new role at the club. https://t.co/dG3zJgPYdz" That confirms the title, but the election still frames how long this version of the Santos hierarchy lasts.

The wider Santos role

Santos had been without a CEO since May 2025, when Pedro Martins left the club. So even with the election clause attached, the appointment plugs a gap that had been left open for well over a year.

Neymar da Silva Santos is also set to lead the Instituto Meninos da Vila, which pushes his influence beyond the executive office alone. That lines up with a broader role around club projects rather than a narrow front-office brief.

Some of that wider involvement is already visible. Santos ceded six advertising spaces on the shirt to NR Sports in exchange for lifting a €2 million FIFA transfer ban linked to the signing of Jean Lucas from Monaco, according to A Bola's reporting. The club's new youth infrastructure at CT Rei Pelé was also described as a project valued at around €1.3 million.

Neymar himself remains the obvious public face around Santos, but this story is about who is running key decisions off the pitch. For now, the boardroom part belongs to his father, and the next date that counts is Santos' election on 12 December.

FAQ

Will Neymar's father stay on as Santos CEO after December?

Not automatically. Neymar da Silva Santos has taken the CEO role at Santos until the end of 2026, but his continuity depends on the club's 12 December election. He remains in office if Marcelo Teixeira is re-elected.

Why is Santos appointing Neymar's father now?

The move fills a role that had been vacant since May 2025, when Pedro Martins left the club. Santos had been operating without a CEO, so the appointment restores a senior executive position while the club heads toward a December election.

What will Neymar's father do at Santos as CEO?

He is set to lead Santos' strategic management until the end of 2026. Beyond the CEO title, he will also lead the Instituto Meninos da Vila and stays involved in club projects beyond the first team.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →