Wisevoter
World

Tashima Launches Bid for FIFA Presidency

Japanese FIFA Council member Kozo Tashima has declared his candidacy in the March 2027 election, the first Japanese bid for the post.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Soccer

Expressive editorial sports illustration of a football player in profile mid-strike across a floodlit pitch in crimson and white, evoking competitive contest.
Japanese FIFA Council member Kozo Tashima announced his candidacy for the FIFA presidency in Tokyo, citing disputes over the 2026 World Cup and incumbent Gianni Infantino's silence on his questions. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you trust FIFA to be run fairly under its current leadership?

Kozo Tashima, a 68-year-old FIFA Council member and former president of the Japan Football Association, announced his candidacy for the FIFA presidency at a press conference in Tokyo. The March 2027 election is open to candidates until a November 18 filing deadline.

Why it matters

Tashima said he decided to run after questioning FIFA's one-year suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's one-match ban and its response to the treatment of the Iranian national team at the 2026 World Cup. He also cited incumbent Gianni Infantino's failure to reply to questions he sent him.

Tashima must secure endorsements from four member associations outside Japan to qualify for the March 2027 election, with the filing deadline set for November 18. Whether he gathers enough support remains unresolved.

The players

Kozo Tashima

Kozo Tashima is a FIFA Council member and former president of the Japan Football Association who has held senior roles in Asian football governance.

Gianni Infantino

Gianni Infantino is the current president of FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, whose administration Tashima criticized for not responding to his questions.

Folarin Balogun

Folarin Balogun is a U.S. national team striker whose one-match ban for a red card at the 2026 World Cup was extended by FIFA to a one-year suspension.

The details

Tashima made his announcement at a press conference in Tokyo, describing his bid as the first by a Japanese candidate for the FIFA presidency. The candidacy follows his public questioning of FIFA's handling of Balogun's red card at the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Timeline

  1. The 2026 World Cup took place, during which Balogun received a red card and the Iran controversy occurred.

  2. Tashima announced his candidacy on November 5, 2026.

  3. The deadline for filing FIFA presidential candidacies is November 18, 2026.

  4. The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027.

Season Trajectory

Tashima's bid emerges from disciplinary disputes at the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and positions a challenger against FIFA's current leadership. The March 2027 election will test whether those governance concerns translate into a contested race for the presidency.

Tashima needs four endorsements from outside Japan before the November 18 deadline to qualify for the March 2027 vote. The outcome could change how FIFA handles future disciplinary decisions for players in international tournaments.

The takeaway

Tashima's challenge highlights how disciplinary decisions at major tournaments can become election issues within global soccer governance. Readers should watch the November 18 filing deadline to see whether a credible challenger emerges.

What happens next

The candidacy filing deadline is November 18, 2026, and the FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027.

Further reading

For more on the global game, see the Soccer section.

Live Poll

Do you trust FIFA to be run fairly under its current leadership?