JAPAN’S KOZO TASHIMA CHALLENGES INFANTINO FOR FIFA PRESIDENCY, PROMISING TO RESTORE INTEGRITY TO WORLD FOOTBALL
Kozo Tashima, the 68-year-old honorary president of the Japan Football Association and a member of FIFA’s Council since 2015, has announced that he intends to challenge Gianni Infantino in the March 2027 FIFA presidential election. Tashima says he wants to promote integrity, fairness and stronger ethical standards in world football. He has criticized FIFA’s handling of the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case, its response to travel restrictions affecting Iran’s national team and Infantino’s failure to respond to questions he raised. His candidacy has JFA backing, but he must secure nominations from at least five of FIFA’s 211 member associations by November 18 and pass an eligibility assessment. Infantino remains the favorite, with backing from the Asian Football Confederation.