FIFA Council member Kozo Tashima plans to run against incumbent president Gianni Infantino in the March 18, 2026 elections held in Rabat, Morocco. The 68-year-old former Japan national team player and former JFA president announced his candidacy after a JFA meeting, with the board unanimously backing him. This marks the first serious rival to Infantino since his July proposal to sell World Cup profits to private investors, a plan that sparked global furor.
Tashima has been on FIFA's ruling committee since 2015 when Sepp Blatter was president. To qualify, candidates need support from five of FIFA's 211 member federations and must pass an eligibility check by a three-member panel appointed by FIFA. The European body UEFA is also leading efforts to find a challenger before the November 18 deadline.
The JFA has not immediately responded to a request for comment by The Associated Press.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing