Tashima challenges Infantino: new rival emerges for FIFA presidency

Former Japan Football Association president Kozo Tashima announces candidacy for FIFA presidency on March 18, challenging incumbent Gianni Infantino with backing from JFA and potential UEFA support.

Kozo Tashima, ex-president of the Japan Football Association, has announced his candidacy for the FIFA presidency in the election scheduled for March 18 in Rabat, directly challenging incumbent Gianni Infantino. The JFA council has formally endorsed Tashima's bid. Tashima framed his candidacy as a matter of principle, stating: "I am grateful to make this announcement with the full support of the JFA. This is not about winning or losing, but about conveying to the world the honest, healthy and upright attitude that Japanese football has built. What FIFA needs today are precisely these values that we have protected."

Candidates must secure formal backing from at least five of FIFA's 211 affiliated federations and pass an eligibility check before the November 18 nomination deadline. Tashima appears to be building a solid network with support from UEFA, creating a credible alternative to Infantino. This development could split Asian support, as AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has already endorsed Infantino. The move reflects UEFA's ongoing criticism of FIFA's governance, including the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise project and commercial rights management.

Tashima, born in 1957 and a former midfielder with seven caps for Japan, served on FIFA's Council from 2015 and led the JFA from 2016 to 2024.