New Zealand withdraws Infantino support, demands FIFA review
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- New Zealand Football withdrew support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president, aligning with individual nations rather than the Oceania Football Confederation
- New Zealand Football called for an independent review of the FIFA Forward Enterprise Scheme, rejecting an in-house investigation to restore trust in FIFA governance
- Gianni Infantino has lost backing from three regional confederations—UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF—over plans to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors
- Oceania Football Confederation welcomed FIFA’s withdrawal of the FFE proposal but did not declare support or opposition to Infantino, maintaining a neutral position
- New Zealand Football is the only OFC member to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, giving it outsized influence within the region on matters of global football governance
Why it matters: New Zealand’s break from OFC isolates Infantino further ahead of the March FIFA Congress, where his re-election hinges on non-European votes. The call for an independent review introduces a concrete demand beyond mere opposition, raising the bar for accountability in FIFA’s development programs.
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