Headline: New Zealand Football Withdraws Support for Fifa President Gianni Infantino Amid Growing Backlash
New Zealand’s football federation has shifted its stance by withdrawing support for Fifa president Gianni Infantino, marking a significant deviation from the broader position of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
New Zealand Football (NZF), the country’s governing body for the sport, announced that it will not endorse the current president, who is experiencing a decline in global backing due to his controversial proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, as he prepares for re-election next year.
Support for Infantino has dwindled significantly, having already been retracted by the European football governing body, Uefa, along with backing from the North and Central American confederation, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Individual associations, including those from England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland, have also declared their lack of support for the Fifa president.
Notably, New Zealand is the only member from the OFC, which comprises 11 primarily Pacific island nations, to have formally withdrawn its support for Infantino.
Despite the growing dissent, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and the South American governing body, Conmebol, continue to back Infantino for another term at the upcoming Fifa Congress scheduled for March.
In its statement, NZF said: “New Zealand Football (NZF) today announced that it has formally withdrawn its support for the candidature of Gianni Infantino as Fifa President at the 2027 Fifa Congress.”
Additionally, NZF is calling for an independent review regarding the processes related to the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme.
The statement further detailed that after meticulous assessment, NZF has concluded that actions and decisions made within Fifa have led to diminished trust and increased division in international football, necessitating an independent review to help restore confidence.
NZF emphasized that this moment presents a crucial opportunity for all Fifa member associations to advocate for enhanced governance, accountability, and transparency, which they consider essential for sustaining trust in the administration of the global game.
This development follows the OFC’s recent decision not to explicitly condemn Infantino’s leadership, even as they acknowledged Fifa’s choice to abandon the controversial sell-off proposal.
“The OFC Executive Committee welcomes Fifa’s decision to withdraw the FFE proposal and its commitment to review the issues surrounding the project,” the OFC stated. They recognized the advancements made in promoting football development in Oceania in recent years under Fifa’s leadership and encouraged a thorough review to identify and implement potential improvements.
New Zealand‘s football federation has withdrawn its support for under-fire Fifa president Gianni Infantino in a break with the wider Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
New Zealand Football (NZF), the country’s national governing body, has confirmed it will not back the incumbent president, who is losing global support rapidly over his aborted plan to sell off a stake in the World Cup to private investors, when he seeks re-election next year.
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Support for Infantino has already been withdrawn by European governing body Uefa, the North and Central American confederation Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), while a number of individual associations including England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have also confirmed they will not back the president.
New Zealand are the only member of the OFC, which represents 11 mainly island nations in the Pacific, to have withdrawn support.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) and South American governing body Conmebol have backed Infantino to win a fourth presidential term at the Fifa Congress in March.
A statement from the NZF said: “New Zealand Football (NZF) today announced that it has formally withdrawn its support for the candidature of Gianni Infantino as Fifa President at the 2027 Fifa Congress.
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“In addition, NZF is also seeking an independent review of the steps undertaken to develop the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme.
“After careful consideration, NZF has formed the view that decisions and actions within Fifa have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division within international football, and that an independent review is required to restore confidence and trust.
“NZF believes this point in time represents an opportunity for all Fifa member associations to advocate for stronger governance, accountability and transparency which are fundamental in maintaining confidence of the administration of the global game.”
It comes after the OFC stopped short at condemning Infantino’s leadership after welcoming Fifa’s decision to scrap the sell-off scheme.
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“The OFC Executive Committee welcomes Fifa’s decision to withdraw the FFE proposal and its commitment to review the issues surrounding the project,” the statement said.
“The OFC recognises the progress achieved over the last decade in advancing football development in Oceania under Fifa’s leadership and encourages Fifa to use the review as an opportunity to identify and implement any changes that may be necessary.”
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