Japan FA vice president quits over FIFA governance dispute

Takeshi Okada, former Japan World Cup coach (1998, 2010) and JFA vice president, resigned Wednesday citing misalignment between his values and the association's responses to FIFA World Cup controversies. His departure follows AFC president Sheikh Salman's endorsement of Gianni Infantino's FIFA re-election bid last week in Tokyo—reversing the AFC's prior joint condemnation with UEFA and CONCACAF of Infantino's plan to open World Cup to private investors.

Okada, one of three JFA vice presidents, said his decision came after "careful and repeated deliberation" and was "entirely of my own volition." He acknowledged practical reasons for aligning with the AFC but could not accept the gap between the association's responses and his conviction that sport must be conducted with integrity.

Infantino, FIFA president since 2016, apologized for the failed private investment project and seeks a fourth term in March 2027. The AFC's flip-flop—from declaring football "belongs to no individual" to unanimously backing Infantino—signals shifting alliances that could reshape FIFA's power dynamics.

For Nigerian football, FIFA leadership directly impacts World Cup slot allocations, development funding, and governance standards affecting NFF. Infantino's re-election appears likely with AFC's 46 votes secured. Will African federations maintain unified positions or follow AFC's pragmatic alignment with incumbent power?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/10/28/japan-football-official-quits-over-world-cup-row/