Japan's Tashima Declares Candidacy Against Infantino for FIFA Presidency

Kozo Tashima, the honorary president of the Japan Football Association, announced on Thursday that he will seek the FIFA presidency in the election scheduled for next March. He is the first Japanese candidate to enter the race for the governing body's top position.

Tashima, who has served on the FIFA Council since 2015, previously led the JFA from 2016 to 2024. He stated that his campaign aims to present the values of Japanese football to the global audience. "I am grateful that I can make this announcement with the full support of the JFA," he told reporters following a board meeting in Tokyo.

The former forward emphasized that his bid focuses on integrity rather than a binary victory. "It’s not about winning or losing but about conveying to the world the honest, sound and upright attitude that Japanese football has built," he said. He argued that FIFA currently requires the specific values that Japanese football has maintained.

According to Nippon Sports, Tashima must secure nominations from five national associations to qualify for the ballot. Candidates have until November 18 to submit these required endorsements. He is expected to attract backing from several Southeast Asian nations and European associations that hold critical views of the incumbent.

Incumbent Gianni Infantino faces this challenge while maintaining strong support across FIFA's confederations. The 56-year-old administrator received a boost last month when the head of Asian football endorsed his bid for another term. This support places him in a commanding position among the organization's 211 voting members.

Ramon Vega, a former defender for Tottenham Hotspur, was the first to publicly declare his intention to challenge Infantino in October. Infantino has faced opposition since his July proposal to bring private investors into a new commercial entity holding rights for competitions such as the World Cup failed to gain full acceptance.