Kohzo Tashima to challenge Gianni Infantino in FIFA presidential election

Kohzo Tashima, the honorary president of the Japan Football Association and a member of the FIFA Council, announced in November 2026 that he will run against incumbent Gianni Infantino in the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027 in Rabat, Morocco.

Tashima has the backing of his national organisation and is expected to secure the five endorsements required to become an official candidate; reports say that if he ends up as Infantino’s sole opponent, UEFA is likely to offer strong support to prevent the incumbent winning another term.

On his reasons for running Tashima said: “It’s ⁠not about winning or losing but about conveying ‌to the world the honest, sound and upright attitude that Japanese football has built. What FIFA needs now ‌are these values that we ​have protected. I have decided to run ⁠in order to make this ⁠appeal to the world.”

Before moving into administration, Tashima was a player and coach: he played as a striker and midfielder for Furukawa Electric in the Japan Soccer League and earned seven caps for the Japanese national team, studied at the German Sport University Cologne, and coached several Japanese youth and national teams, including the Japan U-17 side at the 2001 U-17 World Championship.

In football governance, Tashima has served on the FIFA Council since 2015 and sits on the Asian Football Confederation executive committee; he led the Japan Football Association as president from 2016 to 2024 and subsequently became its honorary president.

The announcement represents the first prominent challenge to Infantino reported ahead of the 2027 vote, setting up a contest that will require formal endorsements for any candidate to qualify.

The next confirmed milestone is the presidential election on March 18, 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, where Tashima will seek the nominations necessary to be listed on the ballot.