Tashima Challenges Infantino for FIFA President — SkimNews
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- Kohzo Tashima announced his intention to stand in FIFA's March presidential election, backed by the Japan Football Association and expected to secure the five endorsements required to become an official candidate.
- UEFA is working to prevent Infantino securing another term and, if Tashima is the only challenger, is expected to back him with almost all of the confederation's 55 votes.
- FIFA's 211 member associations each cast one vote in the presidential election, with 106 required to win and November 18 set as the deadline for candidates to declare their intention to stand.
- Sheikh Salman backed Infantino at the AFC Congress two weeks ago after previously being anti-Infantino, leaving Tashima short of his own confederation's bloc, while anti-Infantino factions within the AFC and CONCACAF are flagged as an alternative source of support for the Japanese candidate.
- Arsène Wenger has been discussed as a possible entrant; as FIFA's chief of global football development, Kaveh Solhekol says his candidacy would be front-page news and he would have a good chance, recalling that Infantino only entered the race 10 years ago after Michel Platini dropped out.
- Kaveh Solhekol cast doubt on Tashima reaching 106 votes, rating Infantino the favourite "despite all the controversies and scandals" while noting FIFA presidential elections can swing unexpectedly.
- Infantino abandoned plans to sell off his stake in the World Cup and faced increased pressure to resign after reports that he received £1.3m in 2024.
Why it matters: UEFA's 55 votes are the pivot: Tashima needs 106 of 211 associations, and the AFC's late U-turn toward Infantino means his own confederation is not a bloc for him, with anti-Infantino factions in the AFC and CONCACAF and Wenger's possible entry keeping the field open until the November 18 declaration deadline.
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