Tokyo:Japan Football Association Vice President Takeshi Okada resigned on Wednesday, citing a "significant gap" between his principles and the organization's handling of issues related to the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, Okada expressed his discontent in a statement, emphasizing the importance of integrity in sports and stating that the responses to issues surrounding the World Cup did not align with his convictions. He expressed his inability to accept these responses as a sportsman.
The resignation occurred a week after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa declared the AFC's support for Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president. Okada acknowledged the practicality of aligning with the AFC due to Japan's relationship with the body and the potential impact on Japanese soccer.
Infantino faced increasing pressure to resign two months ago due to controversy over the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. The proposal involved transferring a portion of FIFA's commercial rights to a private investment firm through a new commercial entity, including rights related to FIFA competitions like the World Cup. The proposal was quickly abandoned amid criticism from several confederation presidents and major European leagues.
Infantino has been at the helm of FIFA since 2016 and is seeking another term in the March 2027 election.