Oceania declares support for Infantino in boost for Fifa president but New Zealand breaks ranks

• OFC’s 11 votes could prove crucial in Fifa election

• Stance shows continued backing from smaller nations

The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has declared their support for Gianni Infantino following demands for the Fifa president to resign from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation in a development that further highlights world football’s civil war.

After a meeting of its executive committee in Fiji on Wednesday, the OFC issued a statement on Friday praising “the progress achieved over the last decade” by Fifa in its first public comments since the abandoned World Cup sell-off plan emerged this month.