Japan FA chief Tashima to challenge Infantino for FIFA presidency
The Japan Football Association is backing Tashima, who must win support from five member federations and clear FIFA eligibility checks before the March vote.
- On Thursday, Japan Football Association Honorary President Kozo Tashima announced his candidacy for FIFA president, with the JFA board unanimously backing his bid to challenge incumbent Gianni Infantino in the March election.
- Tashima's challenge follows intense criticism of FIFA President Gianni Infantino after he proposed selling stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors in July, a plan later abandoned amid global backlash.
- A FIFA Council member since 2015, Tashima emphasized that 'in this age of business and money, sport must firmly uphold its integrity,' framing his campaign around restoring ethical standards to global football.
- To officially qualify for the ballot, Tashima must secure formal support from five of FIFA's 211 member federations before the November 18 deadline to enter the race.
- While European governing body UEFA has actively sought a candidate to oppose Infantino, they have yet to field an official challenger, leaving Tashima as the primary obstacle to the president's re-election.
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249 Articles
The former president of the Japanese Football Association presented his candidacy to be elected as the helmman of the governing body of football: "It's not about winning or losing, but about conveying to the world the honest, solid and integral attitude of Japanese football," he said.
Experienced Japanese figure Kozo Tashima has declared his intention to run in the FIFA presidential election in March 2027.
Tokyo. Gianni Infantino now has a serious opponent in his fight for reelection, in the midst of the biggest crisis of his 11 years leading world football. Kozo Tashima, honorary president of the Japanese Football Federation (JFA), announced yesterday that he will stand against the Swiss-Italian in the presidential elections of FIFA in March next year.
Kozo Tashima: Japan leader looking to bring 'integrity' to FIFA
The 68-year-old is set to become the first person from Japan to run for the FIFA presidency after announcing he would stand against Gianni Infantino in football's governing body's election in March. Tashima has served as a football player, coach and bureaucrat and has a reputation for being a safe pair of hands. He rarely makes headlines, and one of the few times he appeared outside the sport pages was when he became one of the first public figu…
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