Kozo Tashima Declares FIFA Presidency Candidacy Challenging Gianni Infantino
What happened
Kozo Tashima, the 68-year-old honorary president of the Japan Football Association and sitting FIFA Council member, announced his candidacy to challenge incumbent president Gianni Infantino in the March 2027 election.
The Context
* Governance pushback triggers an Asian bid: Tashima’s move follows internal friction over a July 2026 proposal to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors, alongside concerns over disciplinary enforcement and team travel restrictions. * The nomination window is closing fast: To formalize his bid before the November 18, 2026 deadline, Tashima must secure official endorsements from at least five national federations. * Global alliances are fracturing: With UEFA expressing a loss of confidence in the incumbent, Tashima is positioning his campaign around institutional integrity to consolidate backing across European and Southeast Asian member associations.
The Number
— the total count of member associations holding equal votes in the March 2027 ballot in Rabat, Morocco; any operational change in soccer's multi-billion-dollar ecosystem requires building a cross-regional coalition across this fragmented electorate.
Takeaway
Watch for whether Tashima secures his five required federation endorsements by November 18, 2026, which would convert Infantino’s expected re-election into FIFA’s first multi-candidate presidential contest in years.
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Who is Kozo Tashima, the Japanese official running for FIFA presidency?
Kozo Tashima, a former football player, coach and bureaucrat who serves as honorary president of the Japan Football Association, is running for the FIFA presidency against incumbent Gianni Infantino, with the election scheduled for March. Coverage de...
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