Infantino’s FIFA re-election bid suffers fresh setback as New Zealand withdraws support

New Zealand Football has withdrawn its backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain FIFA president, dealing another blow to his hopes of securing a fourth and final term despite public support from US president Donald Trump.

The decision makes New Zealand Football the latest national association to distance itself from Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for 2027. It is another indication of growing unease within the international football community over the 56-year-old’s leadership.

New Zealand Football announced the move in an official statement published on its social media accounts and called for an independent investigation into the steps taken to develop a FIFA project.

“New Zealand Football today announces the formal withdrawal of its support for the candidacy of Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency at the 2027 Congress. The association is seeking an independent review of the steps taken to develop the FIFA project,” the statement said.

It added: “After careful consideration, we have concluded that decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to the breakdown of trust and increased division in international football, and that an independent review is necessary to restore confidence. We believe this stage represents an opportunity for all member associations to call for stronger governance, accountability and transparency, which are essential to maintaining trust in the management of the global game.”

Infantino has faced particularly strong criticism since the World Cup over a series of controversial decisions. Among the most disputed proposals was an attempt to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investment companies in a deal led by investor Josh Kushner.

The reported arrangement would have provided Infantino with an annual salary of $30m.

The proposal was met with what the article described as unprecedented opposition. UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation all rejected the project. In addition, 143 of FIFA’s 211 member associations formally opposed Infantino’s plans, underlining the scale of the resistance before the 2027 election.

Infantino is due to contest the election next year. Unless he is removed before then, he will seek a fourth and final term as head of FIFA.

Trump has been one of the most prominent figures supporting Infantino’s continued presidency. The pair developed a close relationship during preparations for and the organisation of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The 80-year-old US president defended Infantino on social media and described calls for him to be replaced as a “huge mistake”.

“FIFA would be making a huge mistake if it considered, for any reason, replacing president Gianni Infantino. He is great, having just presided over the most successful World Cup ever, by four times. If he leaves, the tournament will not be as successful or profitable as it was before,” Trump said.

However, that high-profile political backing has so far failed to halt the loss of support for Infantino. New Zealand’s decision adds to a growing list of football associations reassessing their position on the future leadership of FIFA as the 2027 vote approaches.