Japan FA chief Kozo Tashima plans to challenge Gianni Infantino for FIFA presidency

Kozo Tashima, the president of the Japan Football Association, intends to stand against Gianni Infantino in the election for FIFA president. Reports on 5 November 2026 said the Japanese federation chief plans to run for the top job in world football's governing body.

According to The Guardian, Tashima said he will run for the FIFA presidency in March. He told the Japanese newspaper Sports Nippon that he is making the announcement with the full support of the JFA, the body that runs the men's and women's game in Japan.

Infantino is seeking re-election as FIFA president, according to the same reports. The Associated Press said the news came from Japanese media, and it has not been confirmed by a formal FIFA announcement.

For readers new to the story, FIFA is the body that organises the World Cup and sets the rules for international football. Its president leads the organisation and sits at the head of the FIFA Council, a board of 37 members. That board has one president, eight vice-presidents and 28 other members. The job carries a gross base salary of CHF 2.6 million, according to FIFA's 2023 annual report.

Tashima is not a newcomer to FIFA's inner circle. He announced in 2014 that he wanted a seat on the FIFA Executive Committee, and he was re-elected in 2019 for a second term as a FIFA Council member. That experience gives him a long track record inside the organisation, though it also means he has been part of the governance that Infantino leads.

What comes next is a campaign. Candidates in FIFA elections need to secure support from member associations, the national federations that vote at FIFA's Congress, and the race is likely to be watched closely across Asia and beyond. For now, the key point is simple: a sitting Japanese federation boss has said he wants the biggest job in football, and the contest with the current president is on.