Japan's Kozo Tashima to Challenge Infantino for FIFA Top Job

Kozo Tashima has entered the race to lead FIFA, positioning himself against incumbent Gianni Infantino in the organization's March election. As the first Japanese candidate for the presidency, Tashima seeks to address what he describes as deep-seated integrity issues within the global governing body. He argues that allowing Infantino to continue without a competitive election would be the worst possible outcome for the sport.

Tashima, 68, holds the endorsement of the Japan Football Association. His campaign centers on two specific decisions made regarding the current World Cup. He expressed concern over FIFA lifting the ban on United States player Folarin Balogun after an intervention by President Donald Trump. He also cited American travel restrictions affecting the Iranian national team as evidence of external pressures influencing football administration.

The former administrator began his career in football after watching the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Born in southern Kumamoto, he captained his school team to the national high school championship. With no professional league available in Japan at the time, he pursued a career in physical education. He earned a call-up to the senior national team while studying at university before playing briefly in the amateur league.

Tashima traveled to Germany to train as a coach, studying at the German Sport University Cologne in 1980. He noted the systematic and scientific nature of German training methods during that period. Upon returning to Japan, he applied these principles to the country's football development. He joined the Japan Football Association, where he managed development programs and coached youth national teams.

He rose to become JFA president in 2016, serving simultaneously on the Asian Football Confederation executive committee and the FIFA Council. His most notable decision came two months before the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when he dismissed coach Vahid Halilhodzic. Halilhodzic was replaced by Akira Nishino, leading Japan to the last 16 round where they lost to Belgium. Tashima accepted responsibility for the coaching change, noting he had not appointed Halilhodzic himself.

Tashima maintained a low public profile during his tenure, building a reputation for reliability. He stepped down as JFA president in 2024 and received an honorary title. In 2020, he became one of the first Japanese public figures to publicly report contracting coronavirus. He frames his FIFA bid as an opportunity to share the integrity standards established by Japanese football over the past few decades.