Japanese Football Association (JFA) President Tashima Kohzo has announced his candidacy for the FIFA presidency, setting up a challenge against incumbent Gianni Infantino. The announcement was reported Thursday by The Independent, with a photograph showing Tashima alongside the president of the German Football Association (DFB).
Tashima, who has led the JFA since 2016, becomes the first declared opponent to Infantino ahead of the next FIFA presidential election. Infantino has held the position since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
The move signals a potential contested election for world football's governing body, though FIFA has not yet confirmed the timeline for the next presidential vote. Tashima's candidacy will require formal nomination by at least five member associations under FIFA statutes.
