FIFA: New Zealand withdraws support for Gianni Infantino

The New Zealand Football Federation has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president. This decision comes after a series of distancing moves that further weaken the Italo-Swiss leader ahead of the March 2027 vote.

On Friday, August 14, New Zealand officially announced it was withdrawing its backing for Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president. New Zealand Football (NZF) explained its decision by citing a loss of confidence in the global governing body's leadership and is calling for an independent review of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project.

This move follows Infantino's abandonment of his plan to sell a 20% stake in FIFA competitions to private investors—a deal that aimed to raise around $4.2 billion. The proposal had sparked serious concerns over governance, transparency, and decision-making processes within FIFA.

In its statement, the New Zealand federation stated that certain decisions and actions taken within FIFA have contributed to eroding trust and deepening divisions in international football. It now believes that an independent review is necessary to restore credibility and trust in the organization's governance.

A third federation joins the protest

The New Zealand breakaway is part of a wave of dissent that first gained unusual momentum in Europe. Wales was the first to officially withdraw its support for Infantino, followed by other European federations that quickly followed suit.

Ireland also officially withdrew its support for the FIFA president's re-election on Thursday, August 13. New Zealand now joins Wales and Ireland as one of the latest federations to publicly break with Infantino in this growing protest movement.

The movement goes far beyond these three federations. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and Concacaf have all voiced their opposition to the FIFA Forward Enterprise project and demanded stronger guarantees on governance and transparency.

Oceania remains divided

New Zealand's stance is all the more significant given that the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has not withdrawn its support for Infantino. After an executive committee meeting in Fiji, the OFC praised the progress made in the region over the past decade under Infantino's presidency, while also welcoming the abandonment of the FFE project and the prospect of a review.

New Zealand has thus chosen to distance itself from the position of its own confederation—a decision that highlights the now-visible divisions within world football.

Infantino still has major backers

Despite this wave of withdrawals, the situation is far from settled for the FIFA president. Infantino still enjoys the backing of several major players, including the Confederation of African Football (CAF), CONMEBOL, and several Arab federations.

FIFA's electoral system gives each member association one vote, regardless of its sporting or economic clout. With 211 member associations, building a majority remains a complex political battle, where the support of smaller federations could prove decisive.

Re-election now under pressure

Infantino is seeking a new term at the helm of FIFA at the Congress scheduled for March 2027. Until recently, his re-election seemed all but assured. But the developments of recent weeks have dramatically changed the landscape.

The abandonment of the FFE project, criticism from confederations, and successive withdrawals by national federations have given a new dimension to the upcoming election. For Infantino, the challenge is no longer just to retain his traditional supporters, but also to restore confidence in his leadership.

New Zealand's breakaway may only be a single vote in an election where every federation has just one ballot. But politically, support for Gianni Infantino is no longer as unanimous as it appeared just months before the vote.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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