New Zealand withdraws support for beleaguered FIFA chief Gianni Infantino

New Zealand has announced that it has withdrawn its support for beleaguered FIFA President Gianni Infantino, in a break from Oceania's governing body.

In a statement on Friday, New Zealand Football (NZF) said: "After careful consideration, NZF has formed the view that decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division within international football, and that an independent review is required to restore confidence and trust."

"NZF believes this point in time represents an opportunity for all FIFA member associations to advocate for stronger governance, accountability and transparency which are fundamental in maintaining confidence of the administration of the global game," it added.

NZF also called for an independent review into the circumstances surrounding FIFA's highly controversial - and now-scrapped - private investment plan, which would have seen third-party investors invited to take stakes in a commercial subsidiary dubbed the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

The NZF's move puts it at odds with the Oceania Football Confederation, which issued its own statement on Friday welcoming the decision to ditch the FFE proposal and signalling its support for Infantino.

"OFC recognises the progress achieved over the last decade in advancing football development in Oceania under FIFA’s leadership and encourages FIFA to use the review as an opportunity to identify and implement any changes that may be necessary," it said.

A deepening chasm has opened up in world football over the president's position, with regional confederations and individual nations split over whether he should continue. Infantino is due to run for re-election in 2027.

European governing body UEFA, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have all called for a change in leadership, while South America's CONMEBOL and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have backed Infantino, who was first elected as president in 2016.

New Zealand has now joined a growing list of nations to have announced their individual stances on the issue.

Wales, Finland, Serbia, and Sweden were among the first to announce that they would no longer back the FIFA president for another term. They were followed by England, Jordan, Albania, the Republic of Ireland, and Norway - the latter of which went a step further and called for Infantino to resign.

Others such as Paraguay, World Cup runners-up Argentina, and tournament cohosts Mexico have gotten behind the FIFA boss, however.

Infantino also received backing from his friend Donald Trump earlier this week.

In a post on Truth Social, the US president said the football world governing body "would be making a terrible mistake" if it decided to part ways with Infantino.

"He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented," Trump wrote, adding: "If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again."

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