The honorary president of the Japanese Football Association, Kozo Tashima, has announced his intention to oppose Gianni Infantino to be the next president of FIFA. Tashima, 68, is a member of the FIFA Council and a former international footballer and coach. He said he wants to convey “integrity, solidity and high moral standards” and “contribute to a better future for football.” Infantino has been under intense scrutiny since it emerged he had been planning to sell stakes in the World Cup to private companies. Investors. The Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal was abandoned at the end of July, after a significant reaction from across world football. The deadline for candidates to run for election is November 18. Although support for Infantino was seriously affected by the FFE scandal, it has shored up support in recent months. The comments came after he was “fully supported” by the Asian Football Confederation, following a U-turn by its president Sheikh Salman. However, the emergence of Tashima as a challenger, backed by the Japan Football Association (JFA), will now test the strength of Infantino’s fan base. As with all candidates, Tashima will need the backing of five FIFA member associations.
