Former JFA President Tasima Challenges Infantino for FIFA Leadership

Former Japanese Football Association (JFA) president Kozo Tasima announced on Thursday (November 5) his candidacy to challenge incumbent FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Tasima, who served as JFA president and has been a FIFA Council member since 2015 with a term extending to next year, revealed his decision during a JFA Council meeting in Tokyo. The announcement comes as FIFA prepares for its mid-month meeting to finalize candidates for the presidential election scheduled for March next year. Infantino has faced mounting pressure following his proposal to spin off a subsidiary to operate the World Cup and other tournaments, along with plans to sell equity in that entity. Multiple European countries have withdrawn their support for Infantino, while Japan JFA president Miyamoto Tsuneyasu also indicated last month that Japan had retracted its backing. However, Infantino retains support from South American, African, and most Middle Eastern football associations. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) backed Infantino at its meeting in Tokyo last month, though not all members agreed with this position. Tasima, who previously served as East Asian Football Association president, is expected to receive support from regional members including South Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Meanwhile, JFA vice president Okada Takeshi resigned last month citing philosophical differences with the association.

The outcome of this election could reshape FIFA's direction on commercial operations and governance. Tasima's candidacy introduces genuine competition to Infantino's decade-long dominance, with potential implications for how global football's most lucrative tournaments are managed and monetized. Regional alliances, particularly within Asian football, may realign depending on which candidate prevails.