Gianni Infantino faces his first serious challenger for the FIFA presidency after Japanese football chief Kohzo Tashima announced his intention to stand in March’s election.
Tashima, a member of the FIFA Council and honorary president of the Japan Football Association (JFA), will have the backing of his national association and is expected to secure the five endorsements required to become an official candidate.
UEFA is working to prevent Infantino from securing another term. It is expected to overwhelmingly back Tashima if he emerges as the incumbent’s only challenger. In that scenario, the Japanese could also attract support from anti-Infantino factions within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF.
The AFC’s position remains significant. President Sheikh Salman performed a U-turn two weeks ago, announcing at the confederation’s Congress that the AFC would back Infantino.
FIFA’s 211 member associations will vote in the election, and a candidate needs at least 106 votes to win. The deadline for candidates to declare their intention to stand is November 18.
Tashima’s Career in Football Administration
Tashima is a former Japan international who went on to coach the country’s Under-17 and Under-20 national teams before moving into football administration. He has held several senior positions within the JFA, including general secretary, vice-president and president, and he has also served on the AFC’s executive committee.
Can Tashima Beat Infantino?
One analyst said Tashima “certainly gives Gianni Infantino something to worry about,” adding that Infantino would much prefer to stand unopposed. The analyst was not sure, however, whether Tashima would secure the support he needs.
The analyst explained the arithmetic. With 211 members and one vote per national association, Tashima would need the backing of 106 FAs. The analyst expects Tashima to have the overwhelming backing of Europe if he is Infantino’s only challenger, and he can count on almost all of UEFA’s 55 votes.
The analyst also expects Tashima to pick up some votes in Asia, even though his own confederation has backed Infantino. The analyst noted that not all of Asia will necessarily support Infantino, and Tashima could also attract backing in CONCACAF, across North and Central America, and perhaps a few votes in the Caribbean. Asked whether he could reach 106, the analyst said: “I’m not so sure.”
Could Wenger Enter the Race?
The analyst said the coming weeks will reveal whether another candidate emerges. There has been considerable talk about Arsène Wenger potentially entering the race. Wenger, a legendary figure who managed Arsenal, currently serves as FIFA’s chief of global football development.
“I think if he were to come out and stand, that would make real, real headlines,” the analyst said. The analyst was not certain Wenger would have the numbers to beat Infantino but believed he would have a good chance, noting that much can happen in FIFA presidential elections.
The analyst pointed to Infantino’s own history as proof. When Infantino first won the presidency 10 years ago, he was not the favourite and was not supposed to be a candidate. He entered the race only because Michel Platini had to drop out.
For now, Infantino appears to be the favourite despite the controversies and scandals surrounding him. As the analyst put it, “lots of things can change,” and FIFA presidential elections can be very exciting.