Former Japan coach Takeshi Okada resigns from football association over FIFA World Cup concerns

Former Japan national team coach Takeshi Okada has resigned as vice-president of the Japan Football Association (JFA), citing concerns over recent developments involving FIFA and the World Cup.

Okada’s resignation came a week after Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa endorsed Gianni Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president at the confederation’s extraordinary congress in Tokyo.

The endorsement marked a shift from the AFC’s position three months earlier, when it accused FIFA of a “fundamental breach of trust” over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal to sell a stake in FIFA competitions.

In a statement published on the JFA website, Okada said his decision was guided by his belief that sports should uphold integrity and serve an important social purpose.

“Guided by my belief that sports should embody integrity, I have always valued their social significance,” he said.

“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.”

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking re-election in March after apologising over his failed private investment project. Support from Asia, one of FIFA’s largest voting blocs, could be significant to his bid.

Okada acknowledged the practical considerations surrounding Japan’s relationship with the AFC but maintained that the developments conflicted with his personal convictions.

“Given the relationship with the Asian Football Confederation and the impact on Japanese soccer, I understand that there are practical reasons for aligning with the AFC’s stance,” he said.

Okada coached Japan at the 1998 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, leading the national team to the round of 16 at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.