Japan FA vice-president steps down over AFC backing for Gianni Infantino

Takeshi Okada, vice-president of the Japan Football Association and a former head coach of the national team, has left his position in disagreement with the Asian Football Confederation's decision to support Gianni Infantino's bid for another term at the helm of FIFA. The resignation comes a week after the AFC endorsed the current president and makes clear that the Asian front is far from unified.

• Takeshi Okada steps down as Japan FA vice-president after the AFC shifts to supporting Infantino.
• The AFC had criticised the FIFA president two months earlier over his failed plan to sell World Cup stakes to private investors.
• Okada, who led Japan at the 1998 and 2010 World Cups, links his exit to personal integrity.
• Jordan remains the only Asian federation publicly opposed to Infantino's re-election.
• Infantino is running for a new term in elections scheduled for March 2027.

What led to Takeshi Okada's resignation

Okada's departure was announced one week after the AFC held an extraordinary congress in Tokyo, where its president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, publicly endorsed Infantino's candidacy. The two leaders embraced in front of the membership, a display of unity that contrasted sharply with the confederation's stance just two months earlier.

From private investment criticism to electoral backing

The AFC had accused Infantino of a fundamental breach of trust over his attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors, a plan he later apologised for and abandoned. With the March 2027 election approaching, the Asian bloc has now publicly closed ranks around his candidacy, but not every member is willing to follow that line.

Okada's departure and his farewell statement

Guided by my belief that sports should embody integrity, I have always valued their social significance. However, the series of actions surrounding this year's FIFA World Cup represent a significant divergence from my personal convictions. As a sportsman, I cannot accept this, which has led me to make this decision.

Okada added that he understands the practical reasons for aligning with the AFC's position, given the relationship with the confederation and the potential impact on Japanese football. Still, his decision to step aside gives a name to the internal tensions running through Asian football.

Divisions inside the Asian bloc and Jordan's opposition

The Japanese official's resignation is not the only sign of unease with the AFC's direction. Prince Ali bin Hussein, president of the Jordan FA, openly attacked Infantino in August and alleged that FIFA offered assistance with his federation's issues in exchange for an endorsement. According to his account, the Jordanian association waited more than eight months for prize money owed since reaching the Arab Cup final in Qatar, a payment that was settled two days after he went public with the complaint.

Despite receiving the funds, Prince Ali kept his stance against endorsing Infantino. After the AFC congress, he said participants were not allowed to speak, ask questions or debate, and described the final day as pure politics. The confederation rejected what it called unsupported and entirely unsubstantiated allegations of coercion, threats or bribery, and referred the prince to its judicial bodies.

The 2026 World Cup and the Folarin Balogun controversy

The broader context also includes recent episodes that have generated controversy. During the last World Cup, the red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun was wiped after Infantino received a request from US president Donald Trump to review the decision. The case added another point of debate over the independence of disciplinary bodies at the tournament.

What is at stake for Infantino in the 2027 election

Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and will stand for re-election in March 2027, having apologised for the aborted World Cup investment plan. The support of the Asian bloc, one of the largest in the FIFA congress, is seen as vital to his campaign, and the divisions now visible within it could weaken that backing.

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