Groups Push for Independent Oversight of FIFA
Campaign groups want an external body to scrutinize FIFA as Kohzo Tashima announces a bid against Gianni Infantino for the presidency.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Soccer
The Football Action Network, Fossil Free Football, and Champions for Earth are calling for an independent external oversight body to scrutinize FIFA, backing FairSquare's Reboot FIFA Campaign. The demand comes as FIFA Council member Kohzo Tashima of Japan announced his intention to run against Gianni Infantino for the presidency.
Why it matters
Campaign groups argue meaningful reform is impossible while FIFA remains responsible for policing itself. The push follows fallout over Gianni Infantino's World Cup privatisation plans and a leadership contest that could reshape the organization's governance.
FIFA's statutes limit a president to three terms, and FairSquare has asked that Gianni Infantino be declared ineligible to run again. The proposed oversight body has not been adopted by FIFA, which has only said a committee would assess its decision-making structures.
The players
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is the international governing body of football, responsible for organizing the World Cup and overseeing global soccer rules and competitions.
Gianni Infantino
The Swiss-Italian lawyer has served as FIFA president since 2016 and has overseen the organization's expansion of the World Cup and its commercial partnerships.
Kohzo Tashima
The Japanese FIFA Council member is a longtime football administrator who has announced his candidacy to challenge Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency.
FairSquare
The London-based NGO runs the Reboot FIFA Campaign, which seeks greater accountability and reform within world football's governing body.
The details
The proposed body would investigate FIFA's governance and decision-making and require disclosure of relevant documents and evidence. It would also review major strategic decisions before implementation and suspend, veto, or overturn any that breach FIFA statutes.
Timeline
Last month: FIFA said at its Council meeting in Zurich that a committee would be established to assess its decision-making structures.
Thursday: Kohzo Tashima announced his intention to run against Infantino for the presidency.
November 6, 2026: Campaign groups called for an independent external oversight body.
Season Trajectory
FIFA's statutes cap a president at three terms, a limit that campaign groups now cite in arguing Gianni Infantino should be barred from running again. The contest and reform demands could reshape the body's leadership and governance ahead of future World Cup cycles.
A FIFA presidential contest would decide who oversees the World Cup and its commercial deals, including the privatisation plans that triggered this dispute. Any change to term limits or a new oversight body would directly determine how the sport's major tournaments are run.
The takeaway
Governance disputes at FIFA now center on whether the organization can credibly police itself. The three-term limit and proposed external oversight are the two levers readers can track as the presidential race develops.
Further reading
For more on the global game and its governing bodies, explore Soccer coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Inside World Football.
