Japan Football Association (JFA) honorary chairman, Kozo Tashima, has declared his intention to contest the FIFA presidency, setting up the most serious challenge yet to Gianni Infantino, who has led world football since 2016.
Key Highlights
- JFA honorary chairman Kozo Tashima has confirmed he will run for FIFA president.
- He is the second declared candidate ahead of the November 18 deadline, after former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega.
- Tashima is believed to have the strategic backing of UEFA, which has clashed with Infantino over a plan to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial rights.
- He is campaigning for transparency and for all 211 member associations to decide how FIFA’s money is shared.
- Infantino needs 106 votes to win a fourth term at the election in Rabat.
Tashima becomes the second person to declare for the race before the November 18 deadline, following former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega.
Vega’s bid remains in doubt because candidates must secure nominations from five member associations, but Tashima is not expected to struggle to meet that requirement. The Japanese administrator is widely respected in the game and is believed to enjoy the strategic support of UEFA.
UEFA’s Frustration With Infantino
Europe’s football governing body has grown increasingly unhappy with Infantino’s leadership, especially after a controversial proposal earlier this year to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial rights.
Speaking to the Japanese newspaper Sports Nippon, Tashima said he was making the announcement with the full support of the JFA.
“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.
“What Fifa needs now are these values that we have protected. I have decided to run in order to make this appeal to the world.”
Tashima explained that he took the decision last week because no one else had stepped forward, and that it would be “highly undesirable” for Infantino to secure another term without an election.
“This is a test of whether FIFA possesses the capacity for self-correction. We must restore FIFA to a state of fairness and impartiality,” he said.
Call For A “Fair And Just FIFA”
The JFA chief has framed his candidacy as a push for transparency and collective decision-making, insisting that how the game’s wealth is shared should be openly discussed by all of FIFA’s 211 member associations rather than decided by a small circle of executives.
“While generating revenue is certainly important, the distribution of those funds should be a subject of thorough discussion among all 211 member associations; a governance model where decisions are made unilaterally by a select few is fundamentally flawed,” Tashima said.
“I intend to steer the organization back onto the right track. I am fighting for a greater cause.”
Read also:
- Former Tottenham Defender Ramon Vega Declares FIFA Presidential Bid to Challenge Gianni Infantino
- UEFA Gives FIFA 2-Week Ultimatum To Release Key Documents
- Infantino Insists He Has Global Support Amid Fifa Leadership Controversy
A Coalition Beyond Europe
Tashima’s bid appears to be part of a wider UEFA effort to find a credible alternative to the current administration. European officials have reportedly spent months searching for a candidate capable of uniting the confederations against Infantino, amid a belief that a non-European challenger could win over voters who resent the perceived Eurocentrism of the sport.
Tashima is said to have held detailed talks with UEFA representatives during the recent Asian Football Confederation (AFC) congress in Tokyo, pointing to a coordinated attempt to build a cross-continental coalition.
Infantino, however, still enjoys strong support in South America, Africa and parts of the Middle East, including from Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He needs 106 votes to secure a fourth term and remains the favourite, but Tashima’s entry means the vote in Rabat will not be a simple coronation.
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