Japan Football Association (JFA) vice-president Takeshi Okada has resigned over controversies surrounding FIFA and its handling of the World Cup, raising fresh questions about football governance as president Gianni Infantino prepares to seek another term in office.
Okada, who coached Japan at the 1998 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, announced his decision after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) backed Infantino’s re-election bid, despite previously joining other continental football bodies in criticising his controversial proposal to open FIFA’s premium competitions to private investors.
The Japan Football Association announced Okada’s departure on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, confirming that his resignation took effect on October 24. The experienced football figure said his decision was entirely voluntary and followed careful consideration of the circumstances surrounding the international governing body’s recent controversies.
In his resignation statement, Okada explained that his personal convictions about the integrity of sport had become incompatible with the responses to the issues surrounding FIFA and the World Cup.
Throughout his career, he said, he had valued the social importance of sport and believed that football should be conducted with integrity. However, he felt that the handling of the recent controversies had created a significant gap between those principles and the direction taken by football administrators.
“As a sportsman, I cannot accept this,” Okada said, explaining his decision to leave the position.
His departure comes at a sensitive time for international football, with Infantino facing criticism over his leadership style, a failed private investment proposal and growing disagreements among football associations over the future direction of FIFA.
The controversy intensified after AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa announced that Asian football would support Infantino’s bid for re-election at a meeting in Tokyo last week.
The endorsement surprised observers because the AFC had previously joined the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) in expressing serious concerns about Infantino’s proposed investment arrangement.
The proposal would have opened the door for private investors to acquire a stake in FIFA’s commercial interests, including revenues associated with its premium competitions. Critics questioned whether such an arrangement was compatible with FIFA’s responsibilities and the long-term interests of the sport.
The plan faced substantial opposition before Infantino abandoned it in July 2026.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin subsequently argued that the controversy had damaged trust in football’s governing structures. He called for greater transparency, accountability and decision-making that serves the wider football community rather than a limited group of influential individuals.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, apologised over the failed investment initiative and has indicated his intention to continue leading the organisation. He is seeking a fourth and final term in the presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.
FIFA’s 211 member associations will determine the outcome of the election, making support from continental confederations particularly important. The AFC represents 46 member associations, giving its endorsement considerable significance in the contest.
However, Okada’s resignation demonstrates that support for Infantino is not necessarily unanimous within Asian football, even after the confederation’s leadership announced its position.
Although he disagreed with the direction taken, Okada acknowledged the practical considerations facing the Japan Football Association. He recognised that maintaining a working relationship with the AFC could influence Japan’s position on international football matters.
He also expressed awareness of the potential consequences his decision could have for Japanese football but maintained that his personal convictions ultimately guided his choice.
Okada’s resignation is particularly notable because of his long association with Japanese football. He managed the national team at the 1998 World Cup in France and returned to lead Japan at the 2010 tournament in South Africa, where the team reached the round of 16.
His experience as a former national team coach gives his departure significance beyond an ordinary administrative change. His decision highlights the tension that can arise when football officials must balance institutional relationships and strategic interests against their personal views about governance and sporting integrity.
Japan also has long-term ambitions to host the men’s World Cup before 2050, an objective that makes its relationship with FIFA and the AFC important to the country’s football development plans.
Okada’s departure, however, does not automatically indicate that the Japan Football Association intends to withdraw its support for the AFC’s position. His resignation statement acknowledged the practical reasons behind aligning with the confederation while making clear that he personally could not accept the responses to the recent controversies.
The wider dispute has also created uncertainty over the extent of opposition Infantino could face in the upcoming election.
Several football associations have questioned FIFA’s leadership following the investment controversy, while European football officials have continued to call for stronger governance safeguards. UEFA has committed to finding a candidate to challenge Infantino before the November 18 deadline for entering the presidential race.
The election will determine whether Infantino retains his position amid the disagreements or whether an alternative candidate can build sufficient support among FIFA’s member associations.
For now, Okada’s resignation adds another dimension to the debate over the future of football administration. Rather than simply expressing disagreement with a particular commercial proposal, his decision has drawn attention to the broader question of whether football’s leadership structures adequately reflect the principles of transparency, integrity and accountability expected by those involved in the game.
The Japanese football official has made his position clear, but the immediate consequences for the JFA, the AFC and the presidential election remain uncertain.
What is clear is that the dispute over FIFA’s abandoned investment plan has not disappeared with its cancellation. The disagreements surrounding the proposal continue to influence relationships between football administrators, while Infantino’s pursuit of another term faces scrutiny from officials concerned about the direction of the sport.
Okada’s exit now places his protest among the most visible developments in the continuing debate over FIFA’s leadership, with the March 2027 election expected to be a crucial test of confidence in the organisation’s current administration.
