Infantino faces new blow as New Zealand withdraws support for FIFA presidency bid

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing growing dissent as New Zealand, the sole Oceanian qualifier for the upcoming World Cup, withdrew its support for his re-election. This move diverges from the regional Oceanian Football Confederation (OFC), which had previously acknowledged FIFA's review of a controversial private investment plan.

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The OFC Executive Committee welcomes FIFA's decision to withdraw the FFE proposal and its willingness to review issues related to this project.

The OFC, the smallest football confederation, stated it had benefited from FIFA's leadership and supported the review of the "FIFA Forward Enterprise" (FFE) proposal. However, the New Zealand Football Association (NZF) announced its withdrawal of support for Infantino, calling for an independent audit of the FFE program. The NZF cited a "loss of trust" and "deepening divisions" within international football as reasons for their decision.

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OFC recognizes the progress made over the past decade in developing football in Oceania under FIFA's leadership and encourages FIFA to use this review as an opportunity to identify and implement all necessary changes.

Infantino's now-withdrawn proposal had offered member associations $20 million in grants, potentially doubling if they signed the agreement. Following a crisis meeting, FIFA apologized for its handling of the proposal and reaffirmed its leadership's full support for Infantino. The situation highlights ongoing tensions within global football governance.

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After careful consideration, NZF has taken the position that decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to a loss of trust and deepening divisions in international football, and that an independent review is needed to rebuild trust.