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Live sport on SN this weekend‘Football deserves better’: NZ Football withdraws support for FIFA president Infantino
Sport Nation • August 14th, 2026 5:30 pm
Gianni Infantino | Photo: AP
New Zealand Football has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president, citing concerns over transparency, governance and the concentration of power within world football's governing body.
Earlier on Friday, NZF released a statement condemning the embattled FIFA president Infantino for "decisions and actions which have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division within international football".
It called for an independent review "to restore confidence and trust" ahead of next March 2027's vote for the position up at the FIFA Congress.
NZ Football CEO Andrew Pragnell says the decision follows the collapse of FIFA's controversial private equity proposal, which was pulled two weeks ago after plans to establish a $US4.2 billion ($NZ7.16 bn) investment vehicle sparked widespread concern across the football world.
Pragnell said the proposal had “sowed a lot of distrust in the football system” and raised serious questions about how such a significant decision could be developed and presented without the knowledge of key FIFA stakeholders.
“The game deserves better. Football deserves better," Pragnell told Sport Nation's Millsy & Guy.
"It's not good enough. And as a member of FIFA, we want more."
NZ Football had already rejected the proposal two weeks ago, becoming the first football association outside Europe to formally withdraw its support for Infantino's 2027 presidential candidacy.
But Pragnell said the organisation had waited to make its latest move until it could consult with the Oceania Football Confederation, with meetings taking place this week.
Andrew Pragnell | Photo: Photosport
NZ Football wants an independent review before considering its position on future leadership, warning that simply moving on from the private equity controversy could deepen divisions within the game.
“If there's an attempt to sort of wash over this and just move on, there's going to be more conflict and there's gonna be more division,” said Pragnell, who will step down from his position in early 2027 after eight years at the helm.
At the heart of NZ Football's concerns is not necessarily the concept of FIFA distributing more of its wealth to its member associations, but the way the proposed private equity scheme was developed.
Pragnell acknowledged there were potential benefits to transferring more money from FIFA to its members, which could then be invested further down the football pyramid.
“Beneath that was the proposed transfer of some wealth from the international body to its members,” he said.
“Ultimately, if that's done well, and it's done with a lot of checks and balances, that enables those members to pass that down further into the development of the game."
New Zealand All Whites at FIFA World Cup 2026 | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
However, he questioned why private equity was required given FIFA's substantial financial reserves, while also raising concerns about the valuation of the commercial assets involved.
“Does it need new private equity? I don't think so,” Pragnell said.
The biggest issue, however, was the lack of transparency surrounding the proposal.
Pragnell said members of FIFA's own 37-person executive council were unaware of the plan, despite the council being responsible for strategic oversight of the organisation.
“The one thing I do want to commend is FIFA as a whole on so many levels,” he said, while stressing that many FIFA employees had also been unaware of the proposal.
For NZ Football, the issue goes beyond Infantino himself.
“I think at the moment it's not so much about the person. It's about the concentration of power,” Pragnell said.
The organisation is calling for an independent review into how the proposal was developed and brought forward, with Pragnell warning that reforms may ultimately be required to ensure FIFA decision-making is more transparent and representative.
He believes the FIFA Council and the organisation's 211 member associations should have greater visibility over major decisions.
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NZ Football's stance is particularly significant given New Zealand's relatively small influence in global football, but Pragnell said the association had decided to take a values-based approach.
“From a voting rights perspective, we've got the same voting power as Argentina or Spain, but you're right, we're small,” he said.
“You shouldn't have fear of speaking out, and so we've taken a values-based decision that when we see something that's wrong, regardless of any concern about repercussions on us, we are going to stand for what we believe in and take an integrity-based approach.”
Pragnell hopes other smaller football nations will follow New Zealand's lead and speak out.
The situation could also have implications for the 2027 FIFA presidential election, with Infantino currently the only candidate known to be seeking the position.
Listen to the full interview below:
