Japan’s Kozo Tashima to Challenge Gianni Infantino for FIFA Presidency

Gianni Infantino faces a serious challenge for the FIFA presidency as the 2027 election cycle begins to take shape. Kozo Tashima, a former Japanese national team player and current member of the FIFA Council, has secured the unanimous backing of the Japan Football Association (JFA) to run for the world governing body’s top office, according to reports from Welt.

The 68-year-old Tashima has served on the 37-member FIFA Council since 2015 and previously led the JFA. His candidacy marks the first significant internal opposition to Infantino, who is currently preparing to seek a fourth term at the FIFA Congress scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.

Candidates must register applications by November

Candidates aiming to contest the presidency must formally register their applications with FIFA by November 18. While Tashima has the full support of his home federation, his path to the ballot remains subject to strict regulatory hurdles. To be admitted to the election, he must also demonstrate the support of four additional member associations.

Other potential challengers in the race have struggled to gain traction. Swiss former professional footballer Ramon Vega has expressed interest in running for the position, though he has historically failed to secure the necessary backing from member associations to meet official registration requirements. With the November deadline approaching, the focus remains on whether Tashima can consolidate the support of four additional federations to move forward.

Consolidation of power within the Asian Football Confederation

The internal politics surrounding the election have highlighted divisions within regional confederations. Reports indicate that the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, has pledged his “unrestricted support” to Infantino. This alignment suggests that Tashima faces a difficult task in drawing support from within his own continental body.

Internal dynamics within Japan have also fluctuated. Tsuneyasu Miyamoto reportedly initially signaled his support for Infantino before withdrawing it following internal opposition within the Japanese federation. This shift paved the way for the JFA to move forward with Tashima as their representative.

Infantino’s path to a fourth term

Gianni Infantino, 56, has spent the recent months working to shore up support among member associations. His administration faced significant criticism earlier this year regarding a proposed plan to sell commercial rights for the World Cup to private investors—a project that was ultimately abandoned after generating widespread backlash. Since that incident, the FIFA leadership has focused on stabilizing its base and neutralizing potential opposition.

While the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has frequently served as a vocal critic of the Swiss official, the organization has not yet put forward its own candidate for the 2027 election. As the November 18 deadline for candidate registration nears, the field of potential challengers remains limited, leaving Tashima as the only figure to date to formally announce a bid with the backing of a national governing body.