Kozo Tashima is a Japanese football administrator and former professional footballer who is one of the most prominent figures in Japanese and Asian football. A former forward for the Japan national team, he went on to a long and influential career in football administration, serving as the President of the Japan Football Association (JFA) and holding senior positions in international football, including on the FIFA Council. Now the Honorary President of the JFA, he announced in 2026 his candidacy for the presidency of FIFA, world football’s governing body, becoming the first Japanese candidate to seek the sport’s top job.
Kozo Tashima Biography, Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Kozo Tashima |
| Date of Birth | 21 November 1957 |
| Age (2026) | 68 years |
| Birthplace | Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Former Playing Position | Forward |
| Role | Honorary President of the JFA; football administrator |
| Former Role | President of the JFA (2016 to 2024) |
| Notable | FIFA Council member; 2026 FIFA presidency candidate |
Kozo Tashima Details
| Area | Detail |
| Playing career | A former Japan national team forward |
| Administration | A long-serving football administrator |
| JFA | Former President; now Honorary President |
| International | A FIFA Council member |
| Development | Helped build Japan’s football academy system |
| 2026 | Announced a bid for the FIFA presidency |
Kozo Tashima Events
| Year | Event |
| 21 November 1957 | Born in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan |
| 1979 to 1980 | Played for the Japan national team |
| Playing career | Played as a forward |
| 2010 | Became a vice-president of the JFA |
| 2015 | Joined the FIFA Council |
| 2016 to 2024 | Served as President of the JFA |
| 2026 | Announced his candidacy for the FIFA presidency |
Kozo Tashima Early Life and Playing Career
Kozo Tashima was born on 21 November 1957 in Kumamoto Prefecture, in Japan. He developed into a talented footballer, playing as a forward, and he went on to represent his country, earning caps for the Japan national team around 1979 and 1980, including scoring for the national side. His playing career gave him first-hand experience of the game at the highest level available to Japanese players of his era. After his playing days, he also worked as a coach, and he increasingly moved into the administrative and developmental side of football, which would become the focus of his long and influential career.
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Kozo Tashima’s Football Administration Career
Kozo Tashima’s Rise in Football Administration
Kozo Tashima built a long and significant career in football administration, rising through the ranks of the Japan Football Association. He held a series of senior roles within the JFA over the years, including positions connected to the technical and developmental side of the game, and he served as a vice-president of the association. He became particularly associated with the development of Japanese football talent, and he was recognised for his work in establishing the network of JFA academies, which played a major role in advancing Japan’s status as a leading football nation in Asia. His administrative work established him as a key figure in Japanese football.
Kozo Tashima as President of the JFA
Kozo Tashima served as the President of the Japan Football Association, becoming the association’s president in 2016 and leading Japanese football for several years, until 2024. As JFA president, he was the most senior figure in Japanese football, overseeing the national teams and the governance and development of the game in Japan during a successful period for Japanese football. He also held regional leadership roles, including serving as president of the East Asian Football Federation. After stepping down as JFA president, he was given the title of Honorary President in recognition of his contributions, and he was succeeded in the role by Tsuneyasu Miyamoto.
Kozo Tashima in International Football
Kozo Tashima has been a prominent figure in international football governance, holding senior positions beyond Japan. He has served as a member of the FIFA Council, the main decision-making body of world football’s governing body, since 2015, giving him a significant voice in the global administration of the sport. In this role, he has been involved in major decisions affecting world football. His standing in international football, built over many years, established him as one of the leading Asian figures in the global game and set the stage for his later bid for the sport’s top leadership position.
Kozo Tashima’s 2026 FIFA Presidency Candidacy
Kozo Tashima announced in November 2026 that he would run for the presidency of FIFA, the international governing body of football, in the election scheduled for March 2027. In doing so, he became the first Japanese candidate to seek the presidency of FIFA, standing as a challenger to the incumbent president. He announced his candidacy with the backing of the Japan Football Association, and he framed his campaign around themes of integrity, soundness and high standards, saying he wished to convey the values of Japanese football to the world. To formally stand in the election, candidates are required to secure nominations from a number of national football associations. The profile notes these matters factually and with attribution, as a developing situation, without taking a position on the contested election.
Kozo Tashima’s Reputation and Influence
Kozo Tashima is regarded as one of the most influential and respected figures in Japanese and Asian football, with a career spanning playing, coaching and decades of administration. He is particularly known for his contribution to the development of Japanese football, including the academy system that helped make Japan a leading football nation in Asia. His long service as JFA president and his role on the FIFA Council gave him significant standing in the global game. His 2026 bid for the FIFA presidency, as the first Japanese candidate for the role, further raised his international profile and underlined his status as a major figure in world football administration.
Kozo Tashima Personal Life
Kozo Tashima is from Kumamoto Prefecture, in Japan, and he has dedicated his life to football, as a player, a coach and an administrator. He has generally kept his personal life private, with his public identity centred on his work in football and his leadership roles. This profile focuses on his career and his public role and treats his personal matters with respect.
Kozo Tashima Height and Physical Profile
Kozo Tashima’s public identity rests on his career in football, as a former player and a long-serving administrator, rather than on physical details. He is known to the public through his leadership of the Japan Football Association, his role in international football and his contributions to the development of the game.
Kozo Tashima Net Worth and Earnings
Kozo Tashima has had a long career in football as a player, coach and administrator, including senior leadership positions in national and international football bodies. A precise, reliably verified net-worth figure is not firmly established in the public record, and this profile does not put one forward, as such figures are typically unofficial estimates. His income has derived from his career in football administration and his earlier work in the game. Because no credible, verified figure is available, none is asserted here.
| Source | Detail |
| Net worth | Not reliably documented (treat estimates with caution) |
| Main income source | His career in football administration |
Kozo Tashima Social Media
Kozo Tashima is a prominent figure in world football, and news about his work, his leadership roles and his FIFA candidacy is reported through sports and news media and the official channels of the football bodies he has served, which are the primary sources of public information about him.
| Platform | Handle | Notes |
| Public information | Sports and news media | How news about him is reported |
| Official | Football organisations | His roles and activities |
Kozo Tashima Controversies
No single matter defines Kozo Tashima’s public profile, which is centred on his long and respected career in football administration. As a senior figure in football governance, his decisions and positions have at times been part of the policy debates that accompany such roles, as is normal in sports administration. His 2026 candidacy for the FIFA presidency placed him within the contested politics of the global game. The profile presents such matters factually and with attribution, without taking a position on contested questions.
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Lesser Known Facts About Kozo Tashima
- He was born in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, in 1957.
- He played as a forward for the Japan national team.
- He helped establish the JFA’s academy network.
- He became president of the JFA in 2016.
- He has served on the FIFA Council since 2015.
- He was given the title of JFA Honorary President.
- He announced a run for the FIFA presidency in 2026.
Kozo Tashima FAQ
Who is Kozo Tashima?
He is a Japanese football administrator and former Japan international forward, a former president of the Japan Football Association and a candidate for the FIFA presidency.
What was Kozo Tashima’s role at the JFA?
He served as President of the Japan Football Association from 2016 to 2024 and is now its Honorary President.
Did Kozo Tashima play football?
Yes, he was a forward who played for the Japan national team around 1979 and 1980.
What is Kozo Tashima known for?
He is known for leading Japanese football as JFA president, his work developing Japan’s football academies, and his role on the FIFA Council.
Is Kozo Tashima running for FIFA president?
Yes, in 2026 he announced his candidacy for the FIFA presidency in the 2027 election, becoming the first Japanese candidate for the role.
Where is Kozo Tashima from?
He was born in Kumamoto Prefecture, in Japan.
Who succeeded Kozo Tashima as JFA president?
He was succeeded as president of the Japan Football Association by Tsuneyasu Miyamoto in 2024.
How long has Kozo Tashima been on the FIFA Council?
He has served on the FIFA Council since 2015.
What is Kozo Tashima’s FIFA campaign about?
He framed his candidacy around themes of integrity, soundness and high standards, and the values of Japanese football.
Why is Kozo Tashima a significant figure?
His long career leading Japanese football, his role in its development, and his pioneering bid for the FIFA presidency have made him a major figure in world football.
Sources
The Japan Times, Honorary JFA President Kozo Tashima to run for FIFA presidency, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2026/11/06/soccer/kozo-tashima-fifa-presidency/
Al Jazeera, Top Japan FA official to stand against Infantino for FIFA presidency, https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/11/5/top-japan-fa-official-to-stand-against-infantino-for-fifa-presidency
Inside Sport, Japan backs Kozo Tashima as “integrity candidate”, https://insidersport.com/2026/11/06/fifa-president-race-tashima-infantino/