‘I Cannot Accept This’: Japan’s Former World Cup Coach Resigns After AFC Backs Infantino

Takeshi Okada, Japan’s former national football team coach, has resigned as vice president of the Japan Football Association in protest against the politics surrounding Gianni Infantino’s campaign for re-election as FIFA president.

The 70-year-old’s resignation comes amid growing controversy over FIFA’s leadership and the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) decision to back Infantino for a fourth and final term. The election is scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.

Japan’s football body published Okada’s resignation statement on Wednesday, October 28. Dated October 24, it came a day after the AFC publicly announced its support for Infantino, reversing its earlier position.

“Sports should embody integrity,” Okada wrote, adding that developments surrounding this year’s FIFA World Cup had significantly diverged from his personal convictions. “As a sportsman, I cannot accept this.”

Okada coached Japan at the 1998 and 2010 FIFA World Cups. He acknowledged the practical reasons behind Japan’s alignment with the AFC, but his resignation highlighted tensions between sporting principles and the political interests of football associations.

Infantino has faced criticism since July over a proposed $4.2 billion investment deal involving private investors seeking a permanent stake in FIFA’s World Cup profits. Several influential football officials questioned the proposal, with AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa previously accusing Infantino of “deception” and a “fundamental breach of trust”.

The AFC’s backing is significant because its 46 member associations are among the 211 federations eligible to vote in the presidential election. Infantino has promised each federation $25 million over four years for development projects and operating costs.

The dispute has also escalated after former FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan accused the AFC of conducting a politically driven meeting in Tokyo. The AFC rejected his allegations as unsubstantiated and referred his comments to its judicial officials for possible disciplinary action.

Meanwhile, European football’s governing body UEFA has pledged to identify a challenger before the November 18 nomination deadline, adding another dimension to the contest over FIFA’s future leadership.