Japan's Tashima Challenges Infantino for FIFA Presidency, Pledging to Restore Integrity

Kozo Tashima, honorary president of the Japan Football Association and a FIFA Council member since 2015, announced Thursday he will stand against Gianni Infantino in next year's FIFA presidential election, becoming the second declared challenger to the incumbent and the first from Asia's football establishment.

Tashima, 68, a former international midfielder who earned seven caps for Japan before moving into coaching and administration, said he would campaign on a platform of integrity and good governance. "I believe it is important to clearly communicate to the world of football the integrity, soundness, and high moral standards that Japanese football has cherished and built up over the years," he said . "I have decided to run for the FIFA presidential election in order to convey this philosophy to the world and contribute to a better future for football" .

His candidacy has the unanimous backing of the JFA board, according to Japanese media, and Tashima told reporters in Tokyo that he was grateful for the federation's "full support" .

A Race Defined by the FFE Scandal

The election, scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco, was thrown open by the fallout from Infantino's aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which would have seen FIFA sell stakes in its commercial and event operations—including the men's and women's World Cup—to private investors. The plan was withdrawn in late July after fierce backlash from across world football, with UEFA leading calls for Infantino's resignation .

Infantino apologised to the FIFA Council in October for "mistakes" in the communication and consultation process, but senior figures including English FA chair Debbie Hewitt said he had failed to provide satisfactory answers or release the relevant documents. "I think the man has to answer those questions and if he doesn't answer those questions no, he's not fit to be Fifa president," Hewitt said at the time .

Tashima's announcement also referenced broader governance concerns, including FIFA's handling of the suspension of a one-match ban for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun following a red card at the 2026 World Cup, and Infantino's failure to respond to written questions from Council members .

Infantino's Rebuilt Support

Despite the FFE controversy, Infantino has spent recent months consolidating his position. In October, the Asian Football Confederation—led by FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa—performed a U-turn and publicly endorsed Infantino for re-election at an extraordinary congress in Tokyo . Infantino also holds the backing of the Confederation of African Football and the Oceania Football Confederation .

Tashima's candidacy now tests the depth of that support within Asia itself. JFA vice-president Takeshi Okada resigned from his position last month over the FFE plans, just days after the AFC pledged its support for Infantino—a signal that the Asian confederation's endorsement was not unanimous .

Infantino, who has served as FIFA president since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, has said he believes he has the backing of the "vast, vast majority" of world football. A former head of FIFA's governance committee, Miguel Maduro, has separately argued that Infantino is ineligible for a fourth term under Article 33 of the FIFA statutes, though FIFA disputes this interpretation .

The Ballot and the Deadline

Candidates have until November 18 to declare and must secure the backing of at least five of FIFA's 211 member associations to appear on the ballot . Former Tottenham Hotspur and Switzerland defender Ramon Vega, who announced his candidacy in October, has yet to demonstrate that level of support; he failed to reach the threshold in a previous attempt in 2022 .

Tashima's entry gives FIFA's critics a candidate with institutional standing—a long-serving Council member and former JFA president from 2016 to 2024—rather than an outsider. Whether that translates into votes against an incumbent who has rebuilt his coalition remains the central question of the campaign.