The Japan Football Association honorary president, Kozo Tashima, has announced his intention to stand against Gianni Infantino to be the next Fifa president.

Tashima, 68, is a member of the Fifa Council and a former international footballer and coach.

He said he wants to convey “integrity, soundness, 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 investors.

The Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal was abandoned at the end of July, after significant backlash from across world football.

The deadline for candidates to stand in the election is 18 November.

Whilst support for Infantino was severely impacted by the FFE scandal, he has shored up support in recent months.

Infantino told BBC Sport last month that he felt he had the backing of the “vast, vast majority” of world football as he bids for a fourth term in charge of Fifa.

His comments came after he was “fully endorsed” by the Asian Football Confederation – following a U-turn by its president Sheikh Salman.

Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega was the first person to put their name forward in October for next year’s Fifa presidential election.

However, Tashima’s emergence as a challenger – with the backing of the Japan Football Association (JFA) – will now test the strength of Infantino’s supporter base.

As with all candidates, Tashima will require the backing of five Fifa member associations.



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