Japanese Kozo Tashima announces his candidacy for FIFA president

Kozo Tashimahonorary president of the Japan Football Association (JFA)announced this Thursday that he will present his candidacy for the elections for the Presidency of the FIFA that will be held in 2027, positioning itself as a possible rival to Gianni Infantino.

“I am grateful to be able to make this announcement with the full support of the JFA. It is not about winning or losing, but about transmitting to the world the honest, solid and upright attitude that Japanese football has forged. FIFA needs the values ​​that we have defended,” he said in statements reported by one of Japan’s main sports newspapers, Sports Nippon.

Tashima, 68, added that he made the final decision to run for office last week. During his speech, he acknowledged that he currently does not see anyone who could challenge Infantino, but said that “it would be worse” if he renewed his mandate without elections.

The former Japanese footballer, who played as a midfielder for Furukawa Electric (1980-1982) and the Japanese national team (1979-1980), made the announcement after the JFA held a meeting of its board of directors in Tokyo and unanimously resolved to support Tashima’s candidacy.

This decision comes almost a month after the Swiss Ramon Vega was the first person to position himself as a possible rival of Infantino – a decision that he made official today – in the vote that will take place on May 18 at the FIFA congress that will take place in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

Infantino, who is running for re-election despite calls to resign, is embroiled in several controversies, including his intention to sell private stakes in the World Cup.