Kozo Tashima rates chances of unseating FIFA chief Gianni Infantino

Japan Football Association honorary president Kozo Tashima estimates he has a 20 to 30 percent chance of winning the FIFA presidency against incumbent Gianni Infantino, Al Jazeera reported. Tashima stated that governance is the biggest problem facing global football as he outlined his platform for the upcoming election. He told Japanese daily Sports Nippon that he has received messages thanking him for speaking out. [1]

Al Jazeera reported that Tashima has not yet received formal endorsements, but he stated that he wants to secure backing from at least six football associations. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Tashima recently announced his candidacy to run against Infantino, making him the first person from Japan to compete for the role. Tashima is a former Japan national team player and the current president of the East Asian Football Federation. [1][7]

The election will take place at the 77th FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March 2027. Infantino is seeking re-election for a fourth term as head of the organization. FTMQ News previously reported that Infantino has claimed he retains the support of most national football associations, despite facing questions over a proposed investment plan and governance demands set by UEFA. [3][6]

FIFA organises major global tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cup and youth events, redistributing revenue to member associations for development projects. However, the organization has previously faced significant governance failures, including a 2015 United States Department of Justice indictment targeting nine officials and executives for racketeering, wire fraud, and bribery schemes. [5]