Full Breakdown
New Zealand Football Withdraws Support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino
8/14/2026, 10:48:26 AM
The Break with Infantino
New Zealand Football (NZF) announced it has formally withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s candidacy at the 2027 FIFA Congress. NZF is the only Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) member to pull its backing.
Background: The Aborted World Cup Commercial-Rights Sale
Infantino’s plan to sell a 20 % stake in World Cup commercial rights – projected to raise about $4.2 billion – was abandoned after a backlash from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF. Those confederations issued a joint letter accusing Infantino of “deception” and calling for his resignation, sparking a split among the six continental confederations that vote in the FIFA presidential election.
Timeline of Key Developments
- Early August – UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF release an open letter demanding Infantino step down.
- Mid-August – NZF publishes its withdrawal of support and calls for an independent review of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme.
- August 13 – Six Arab national federations, including Qatar and Morocco, issue a joint statement reaffirming support for Infantino.
- March 17 – FIFA Congress scheduled to vote on the presidency.
- November 18 – Deadline for any challenger to submit a candidacy.
Official Statements & Responses
NZF’s statement emphasized the need for “stronger governance, accountability and transparency” to restore confidence in the global game.
Criticism & Opposition
UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF jointly accused Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” and called for his resignation. National associations such as the Football Association of Ireland, the English FA and the Welsh FA have also rescinded their letters of support, citing governance concerns.
Data & Statistics
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on OFC’s position. No definitive OFC statement confirming outright backing has been provided, leaving the confederation’s stance ambiguous.
Verbatim Quotes
- “NZF chief executive Andrew Pragnell said: "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.” — Andrew Pragnell, NZF chief executive
- “If anybody has got any problem against anybody, whether it’s Gianni, whether it is anybody else, follow the process, follow the FIFA process, simple as that,” — Patrice Motsepe, CAF president
What’s Next
The FIFA presidential election is set for March 17, with a simple majority of 106 votes required if only one challenger emerges. Potential challengers must file nominations by November 18. The outcome will depend on whether the bloc opposition from UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF can sway enough of the 211 member votes, or if support from Africa, South America and the six Arab federations proves decisive.
