Kozo Tashima rates FIFA election prospects at 20%-30% after declaring March challenge to Infantino

Japan Football Association honorary president Kozo Tashima said in an interview published on Sunday (November 8) in Sports Nippon that he rates his chances of unseating FIFA president Gianni Infantino in next March’s presidential election at "about 20% to 30%." He announced on Thursday (November 5) that he intended to run in the March election, becoming the first Japanese candidate to seek the position.

Tashima, 68, is a former Japan international who has served on the FIFA Council since 2015 and became Japan Football Association president in 2016 before being succeeded by Tsuneyasu Miyamoto in 2024. He framed governance as FIFA's biggest problem as he set out his platform and confirmed his candidacy in early November.

"I've received many messages saying, 'Thank you for speaking out'...," Tashima told Sports Nippon, adding: "I've been contacted by presidents and international department officials from eight countries, including some outside Asia." He said he had not yet received formal endorsements but was "getting a positive response" and that, "Since time is short and I don't want to be held up by incomplete paperwork, I want to secure support from at least six associations."

Tashima outlined matters he would change if elected, saying: "I'll keep what's good and change what's bad..." and that "The biggest problem, however, remains governance..." He also stated his guiding principle, saying: "Selflessness is my motto..."

On his odds, Tashima repeated his assessment and ambition: "At this stage, I think my chances of winning are about 20% to 30%, but as the campaign progresses, I want to raise my confidence to 40% or 50%. I truly want to change FIFA." Those figures were given in the Sports Nippon interview published on November 8.

Incumbent president Gianni Infantino is seeking a fourth term and has faced scrutiny after an unsuccessful July attempt to bring private investors into a new FIFA commercial entity holding rights linked to competitions including the World Cup. His candidacy received a boost in October when the head of Asian football publicly endorsed him, and support from several FIFA confederations has left him well placed among the organisation's 211 member associations.

Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega was the first candidate to publicly declare his intention to challenge Infantino last month. Candidates have until November 18 to submit nominations for the March election, and Tashima requires nominations from five national associations to stand.