The former president of the Japanese Football Federation received support from his country and became the second candidate to challenge the current head of the organization
With his confirmation, Tashima became the second candidate to officially express his intention to compete for the top position in world football. The first was Ramón Vega, former Swiss defender of Tottenham and Celtic, who announced his candidacy a few hours ago through his social media, although he had already publicly stated his position a month ago.
The continuity of Gianni Infantino at the helm of FIFA will face new obstacles on its path. Amid criticism of his management and discussions about the future of the organization, Kozo Tashima announced that he will run as a candidate for the presidency and will seek to compete against the Italian-Swiss leader, who aims to secure a fourth term.
The 68-year-old Japanese, currently honorary president of the Japan Football Association (JFA), announced his decision this Thursday and received unanimous support from the board of directors of his country's federation. Tashima led the entity from 2016 to 2024 and has been part of the FIFA Council since 2015.
During the announcement, he explained that his goal is to bring to the international stage the values that he believes characterize Japanese football. "I am grateful to be able to make this announcement with the full support of the Japan Football Association", he began.
"This is not about winning or losing, but about clearly communicating to the world the honesty, strength, and integrity that Japanese football has built so far. I believe that what FIFA needs right now is precisely this. I have decided to run for the presidency of FIFA to properly appeal this to the world", he added.
The former footballer, 55, outlined his main objectives as "restoring trust, reforming governance, and bringing together the global football family". Additionally, he justified his candidacy by stating: "I bring the mindset of a player, the discipline of a defender, and decades of experience from the field to the boardroom. I defended my team on the pitch. Now I am ready to defend football itself".
Meanwhile, Infantino will seek to extend his tenure at the head of FIFA, although his management has faced criticism for various initiatives. Among them is his failed project to open certain competitions of the organization, including the World Cup, to private investors through the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a proposal that generated resistance within international football.
The presidential election will take place on March 18, 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, while the deadline for submitting candidacies will end on November 18. In parallel, UEFA continues to seek a candidate with sufficient support to compete against Infantino, who has also regained backing within the Asian Football Confederation.
