Takeshi Okada, vice president of the Japan Football Association (JFA) and former national team coach, resigned on Wednesday, citing a disconnect between his values and the association’s handling of recent controversies related to the FIFA World Cup. Okada, who led Japan’s team in the 1998 and 2010 tournaments, said his decision was made independently and stemmed from a commitment to preserving the integrity and social value of sport.

The resignation comes shortly after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) reaffirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s bid for a fourth and final term during a meeting in Tokyo. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa, AFC president, delivered an unequivocal endorsement of Infantino’s re-election campaign, despite ongoing criticism from various football bodies around the world.

Infantino has faced significant opposition over his proposal to open FIFA’s premier competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. This initiative sparked widespread condemnation, with the AFC joining European and North American regional federations in expressing concerns. Two months ago, the AFC, UEFA, and CONCACAF issued a joint statement asserting that football “belongs to no individual,” signaling potential fractures within FIFA’s leadership support.

Okada expressed that the responses by the JFA and regional authorities, including the AFC, to these matters diverged markedly from his principles. While acknowledging that aligning with the AFC’s stance may serve practical interests for Japanese football, he emphasized that on a personal level and as a sportsman, he could not accept the prevailing approach.

Gianni Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, issued an apology over the unsuccessful private investment project but remains on course for re-election in March. Okada’s departure highlights the ongoing tensions within international football governance as stakeholders navigate competing visions for the sport’s future.