New Zealand withdraws support for Gianni Infantino as the FIFA president faces a widening revolt over the abandoned private-investment plan. New Zealand Football has formally withdrawn its backing for his 2027 candidacy, as Baltimore Chronicle notes. The decision was confirmed by New Zealand Football and reported by Reuters.
The move places New Zealand at odds with the wider Oceania Football Confederation. OFC has taken a more cautious position and acknowledged FIFA’s contribution to football development across the Pacific. It also welcomed the decision to abandon the disputed investment proposal.
Why New Zealand withdrew support for Infantino
The dispute centres on FIFA Forward Enterprise, known as FFE. FIFA considered creating a commercial unit covering major competitions and selling about 20% to outside investors.
The proposal could have raised up to $4.2 billion. The new operation was valued at roughly $20 billion. Joshua Kushner’s investment business was among the potential investors discussed around the project. Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
FIFA eventually abandoned the project after strong opposition.
New Zealand Football says the controversy damaged confidence in FIFA’s leadership. NZF chief executive Andrew Pragnell called for an independent investigation rather than an internal review.
The federation wants the review to examine:
- how FIFA Forward Enterprise was developed;
- how key decisions were taken;
- whether governance procedures were sufficient;
- how transparency and accountability can be strengthened.
NZF’s position goes further than OFC’s response. The Oceania confederation has recognised concerns surrounding FFE but continues to highlight progress achieved under Infantino.
Infantino faces a divided FIFA before the 2027 vote
The dispute is now becoming an election issue. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF have sharply criticised FIFA’s leadership. Together, those confederations represent 136 of FIFA’s 211 member associations. However, individual federations do not necessarily vote with their confederations.
| Position | Key organisations |
|---|---|
| Critical of Infantino | UEFA, AFC, CONCACAF, New Zealand Football |
| Supporting Infantino | CAF, CONMEBOL, several Arab federations |
| Cautious support | Oceania Football Confederation |
The split therefore cannot yet be translated directly into an election result. Qatar has already challenged the AFC’s criticism, while several Arab federations have publicly backed Infantino.
New Zealand’s decision is significant because it breaks the appearance of a united Oceania bloc. The fight over FIFA’s commercial model has now become a fight over trust, governance and Infantino’s political future.
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