New Zealand Football has become the latest nation to withdraw backing for FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of his re-election bid at the Fifa Congress in March, citing governance concerns and loss of institutional trust.
Infantino, who is 56 years old, has faced mounting opposition from multiple regional confederations following his aborted proposal to sell 20% of the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors. Three continental bodies – Europe’s Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf (representing North and Central America and the Caribbean) – have all withdrawn support. In contrast, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and South American governing body Conmebol have indicated their backing for his fourth presidential term.
New Zealand joins individual member nations including England, Wales, Norway, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in formally confirming they will not support Infantino’s candidacy. The New Zealand Football association stated in a statement that decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division within international football. The organization is also seeking an independent review of the Fifa Forward Enterprise Scheme (FFE), emphasizing the importance of stronger governance, accountability and transparency in maintaining confidence in football’s global administration.
New Zealand was the sole representative from the Oceania Football Confederation’s 11 member nations to qualify for the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The broader OFC has taken a measured stance, welcoming FIFA’s decision to withdraw the FFE proposal while stopping short of declaring or withdrawing support for Infantino’s re-election. Meanwhile, divisions have emerged within some confederations, with certain Concacaf members including Mexico, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis supporting Infantino despite their regional federation’s opposition, and Argentina aligning with Conmebol’s backing of the incumbent president.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI