The New Zealand Football Federation announced today, Friday, that it has officially withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's candidacy for the presidency of the International Federation of Association Football "FIFA" at the FIFA conference scheduled for 2027.
The New Zealand Federation confirmed in an official statement published on its website that it made the decision after careful study of a set of developments and decisions within FIFA, considering that some measures contributed to a decline in trust and increased division within international football.
The Federation also called for an independent review of the steps taken by FIFA regarding the development of its program, in order to determine the circumstances of the decisions and procedures associated with it.
The New Zealand Federation explained that the independent review represents a necessary step to restore trust, stressing that the current stage provides an opportunity for all member federations in FIFA to demand the strengthening of the principles of governance, accountability, and transparency.
The Federation stressed that these principles are essential to maintaining the public's trust in the management of world football, at a time when calls within the game community are increasing for more clarity and accountability regarding the decisions made by the international federation.
The withdrawal of support constitutes a new blow to Infantino's campaign ahead of the upcoming FIFA presidency elections, and opens the door to further discussion about the future of the management of the International Federation of Association Football.
