Oceania backs Infantino, but New Zealand breaks ranks on FIFA leadership

The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, signaling support for his leadership even as divisions emerge regarding his re-election bid. The OFC stated that football in the Oceania region has seen progress over the past decade under FIFA's guidance.

In a statement, the OFC also welcomed the abandonment of a contentious proposal to sell a portion of the World Cup's commercial rights to private investors. The confederation views the review of this plan as an opportunity to implement necessary changes.

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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.

However, New Zealand Football, the only OFC nation to have qualified for the upcoming World Cup, has diverged from the regional stance. The organization has withdrawn its support for Infantino's re-election and is advocating for an independent review of the shelved investment plan. New Zealand Football's Chief Executive, Andrew Pragnell, emphasized the need for an independent review to restore trust, a sentiment echoed by other confederations.

This dispute follows Infantino's initial proposal to sell 20 percent of the World Cup's commercial rights for approximately $4.2 billion. The plan faced significant opposition from several football confederations, leading to its eventual withdrawal. Infantino continues to hold support from the African and South American confederations, while UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF have called for a review of his leadership. The upcoming FIFA presidential election in March is expected to be shaped by these growing divisions.

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We’ve called for an independent review specifically because what we don’t ‌want to see is a sort of in-house quick washover of this.