Figuredo has relinquished the post in order to focus on his new responsibilities as a vice-president of world governing body FIFA, a post he assumed following the death of Julio Grondona.

Grondona, who was also chief of the Argentina Football Association, died at the age of 82 last month. 

Napout, also the head of the Paraguayan Football Association (APF), will serve an initial mandate until May 2015 - when Figueredo's term was due to end - and has taken over following a request from FIFA that the new appointments were made as quickly as possible.

"This is a huge challenge for me because to reach because the Presidency of the South American Football Confederation is the biggest dream there is," said the 56-year-old.

"We know a lot of things are expected of us but we have the confidence to see them through, I'm quite ready for this." 

Colombia's Luis Bedoya and Marco Polo del Nero, a vice-president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, have also been appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee.

Venezuela's Rafael Esquivel has been promoted to CONMEBOL vice-president, joining Bedoya and Chile's Sergio Jadue in the position.

FIFA vice-president Julio Grondona died last month at the age of 82 ©AFP/Getty Images





The appointments continue a period of change in the continental governing body, with Figueredo having only served as President for 15 months since April 2013.

He had taken up the post following the resignation of another Paraguayan, Nicolas Leoz, who had been in the position for 27 years before stepping down citing health reasons at a time when he was also being investigated by FIFA's Ethics Committee.

As well as working hard to deal with the currently struggling image of football administration in South America, one of Napout's key areas of focus will be preparations for the 2015 Copa América, due to take place in Chile from June 11 to July 4 next year.

The following year, a special centenary edition of the Copa América, the world's oldest international football tournament, will be held in the United States, the first time it will have been held outside of South America.

Napout will juggle these responsibilities with his work as APF chief as he seeks to change Paraguay's fortunes on the pitch.

After reaching the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa in 2010, the national team finished bottom of the nine-nation South American qualification group for Brazil 2014, with three wins in 16 matches under three different coaches.

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