The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has thrown its support behind FIFA President Gianni Infantino, even as New Zealand distanced itself from the regional bloc over concerns about trust and governance.
In a statement on Friday, the OFC said it welcomed FIFA’s decision to withdraw its controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) private investment proposal and to launch a full review of how the plan was handled.
“Infantino has given equal opportunity to all member associations. And this has given us an opportunity and a platform,” the OFC said, adding that Oceania had benefited from FIFA’s leadership over the past decade.
“The OFC Executive Committee welcomes FIFA’s decision to withdraw the FFE proposal and its commitment to review the issues surrounding the project,” the confederation stated.
“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.”
The OFC is FIFA’s smallest confederation with 11 full members.
The unity did not extend to New Zealand, however. NZ Football said it had withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election bid at next year’s FIFA Congress.
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The only Oceania nation at this year’s World Cup also called for an independent review of the FFE process.
“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 said.
Infantino is facing mounting pressure after UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF publicly called for a review of his leadership, following the collapse of the FFE plan. The proposal would have offered member associations a $20 million grant in the next funding cycle, with the potential to double that amount if they signed on.
After a crisis meeting in Morocco last week, FIFA apologized to its 211 member associations for the way the proposal was handled, and said its leadership continued to fully support Infantino.
