Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein will have the support of NZ Football for the looming Fifa presidential election.

New Zealand Football is prepared to suffer backlash as a result of changing loyalties from incumbent Fifa president Sepp Blatter to his challenger Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein in the wake of an international scandal involving the organisation.

NZF president Mark Aspden confirmed on Friday that its executive committee had decided to support Prince Ali, of Jordan, in the Fifa presidential election at the world governing body's annual congress in Zurich overnight.

Australia has also said it will vote for Prince Ali but it seems Blatter remains the favourite to retain his role.

"Given the developments in the past 48 hours - which have been deeply distressing for all of us who love football - New Zealand Football believes substantive change is now essential within Fifa as soon as possible to repair its tarnished reputation," Aspden said.

"The executive committee believes that real change can only be implemented with a new president in place, and accordingly, we have opted to support the election of Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein."

Before events of recent days, and the arrest of eight Fifa officials, NZF had aligned themselves with the Blatter camp. Blatter was at the helm when New Zealand earned the hosting right for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup which starts in Auckland on Saturday.

But Aspden said they could no longer support the president.

"We have previously supported President Blatter but it was always a balance. In our view the events in the past 24 hours mean that it is impossible for us to take the position that meaningful change can occur under the current leadership."

Aspden said he was aware there may be a backlash from the decision.

"If there is, there is. We are voting on principle and not because we feel we will be rewarded one way or another. Actually if there is a backlash there will be a lot of people in the line with us so we will just have to wear it.

"We would hope not. We have worked well with Fifa. It shouldn't be a punishable offence to have a different view. The most important thing for us is to do what we think is right for the game. Sometimes at some point you have just got to make a stand for what you think is right."

Aspen was asked whether NZF may have alienated other countries in Oceania with the decision, but was defiant.

"I think friends should be able to take different positions on even important issues without it impacting their overall friendship. We are not trying to say they are wrong if they come to a different decision. We would hope they would accept our decision in the same way."

Aspden said New Zealand Football chief executive Andy Martin and an executive committee member in Zurich had been involved in a number of discussions and from those it was clear there was "a lot more support" for President Ali "than there was 48 hours ago".

He said it was unclear whether that was enough to get Prince Ali over the line.

"There's nothing guaranteed. But we are more confident than we would be more confident than we would be with the present regime. Certainly aspects of his manifesto are very positive.

"He is the only other candidate in the race so he is the only other option for change."





