New Zealand Football Withdraws Support for Infantino, Breaking With Oceania

New Zealand Football formally withdrew its backing for Gianni Infantino's FIFA presidential re-election, saying "decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division within international football" and calling for an independent review of the failed World Cup privatization plan plus "stronger governance, accountability, and transparency." New Zealand is the only member of the 11-nation Oceania Football Confederation to publicly break from Infantino, joining a growing list of federations — including Wales, England, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Finland, and Jordan — doing the same ahead of the March 18, 2027 FIFA presidential vote. CAF and CONMEBOL have continued to back Infantino for a fourth term.