Leila Pereira stands as a unique figure in global football, the only female president among the 32 clubs participating in the revamped Club World Cup. As head of Palmeiras, she carries both the weight of representation and the pride of pioneering leadership. “People think women are the weaker sex, and we’re not,” she says. “I fight back much harder.”
Pereira made history in 2021 when she became the first woman to lead Palmeiras in the club’s 110-year history. Her influence soon stretched beyond the club, culminating in her appointment as the first woman to lead Brazil’s men’s national team delegation during high-profile friendlies. While symbolic, this role underscored her rise in a traditionally male-dominated world.
Her leadership style is firm. In a controversial episode with club legend Dudu, Pereira called out the player publicly when he backed out of a move after signing terms. She later pursued legal action after receiving abuse online. “He wouldn’t have done that to a man,” she says, emphasizing the gendered dynamics at play.
Before entering football, Pereira built her fortune outside the sport, ranking among Brazil’s wealthiest women. Her business background includes leadership in a loan company and a private university, enterprises she co-founded with her husband. Raised in a non-footballing household, she only connected with Palmeiras after meeting her future husband at university.
Her journey with the club began in 2015 during a financial crisis. She proposed that her husband’s company become the main sponsor a move that launched a decade-long partnership and an era of unprecedented success. Under her sponsorship and presidency, Palmeiras won 14 major titles and became a model of stability and ambition.
Despite scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest while serving as both president and sponsor, she insists on transparency. Her company stepped away from its sponsorship role in 2024 to avoid any ethical grey areas. Financially, Palmeiras is thriving, with record revenues in 2024 and a talent pipeline that includes multimillion-pound sales to top European clubs.
Pereira champions financial fair play in Brazilian football and insists on accountability. “Football will not tarnish my name,” she says. With a business-first approach, she ensures all obligations are met promptly, setting a rare standard in Brazilian sport.
As Palmeiras prepare to face Porto, Al Ahly, and Inter Miami, Pereira remains undaunted. “Just because some clubs are European giants doesn’t mean we can’t compete,” she says. With a powerful academy, steady finances, and elite coaching, Palmeiras arrive not just to participate but to challenge. And at the helm stands a woman reshaping football’s future.
