Tashima Puts His Name Forward for Fifa Presidency

Japan's Kozo Tashima has announced he will stand for the Fifa presidency, putting himself forward as a rival to Gianni Infantino ahead of the governing body's next election.

Infantino has led Fifa since 2016. The presidential vote is expected in 2027, when his current term ends, so Tashima's announcement comes well before the ballot. Declaring intent is only the first step. Candidates in this process need formal backing from member associations before they can appear on the ballot, so the real test of this campaign will be whether Tashima can gather that support across Fifa's member confederations.

The details of Tashima's plans have not been made public in the information available so far. It is not yet clear what he would change at Fifa, how he would fund and organise a campaign, or which confederations might back him. Those answers will determine whether the announcement develops into a serious contest or remains a early marker in the run-up to the election.

We will update this story if Tashima sets out his platform or if more candidates come forward.