Kozo Tashima, the honorary president of the Japan Football Association (JFA), announced on Thursday that he will run against Gianni Infantino in the upcoming FIFA presidential election scheduled for March.
A Bid for Leadership
Tashima, 68, is the second individual to officially challenge the incumbent, following a previous declaration by former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega. Tashima, who served as the president of the JFA from 2016 to 2024 and is a member of the FIFA Council, confirmed his entry into the race with the backing of his national association.
In a formal statement regarding his candidacy, Tashima emphasized the values he hopes to bring to the global governing body. “With the full support of the JFA I have decided to declare my candidacy in the FIFA presidential election,” he stated. He further noted, “I believe it is important that the sincerity, integrity and high ethical standards that Japanese football has long valued and built up are clearly communicated to the global football community.”
Tashima expressed his intention to leverage his extensive background in football administration to influence the sport’s trajectory. “In order to share these principles with the world and contribute to a better future for football, I have decided to run in the FIFA presidential election,” he said. He added that he plans to approach the campaign with “firm resolve” to foster the continued development of the game worldwide.
The Path to the Election
The incumbent, Gianni Infantino, is currently seeking a fourth and final term as the head of FIFA. While he previously faced significant backlash and pressure to resign following a failed proposal to sell off World Cup rights, his position has since stabilized. Last month, the Asian Football Confederation officially endorsed the 56-year-old, bolstering his chances for re-election.
Infantino has previously dismissed calls for his departure, asserting that he maintains the support of the “vast, vast majority” of FIFA’s member associations. The official deadline for all candidates to submit their declarations for the March election is November 18.
