Infantino’s Japanese challenger claims he could unseat FIFA president

What the report says

Kozo Tashima, the honorary president of the Japan Football Association and a long-serving FIFA Council member, has said he plans to run for FIFA president in the March 2027 election. Speaking about his campaign in Japan, Tashima said he thinks he has a 20 to 30 percent chance of defeating incumbent Gianni Infantino, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters coverage.

Tashima is the first Japanese candidate to enter the contest for football’s top global post. He has described governance as FIFA’s biggest problem and said he wants to preserve what works while changing what he sees as weaknesses. He must secure nominations from at least five national associations before he can formally stand, and candidates have until November 18 to file their papers.

Infantino is seeking a fourth term and remains the favorite, with backing from several FIFA confederations and recent public support from the head of Asian football. The report also notes that Infantino faced scrutiny earlier in 2026 after an unsuccessful effort to attract private investors into a FIFA commercial venture tied to competitions such as the World Cup.

The challenge from Tashima adds to a growing field of rivals: former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega was the first to announce his candidacy. The election matters because it will help determine FIFA’s direction on governance, commercial strategy and leadership at a time of continued debate over the organization’s management.