European football has shown an increased willingness to talk tough with Fifa but words can only be wielded so many times
• FA joins criticism of Fifa plan to sell off World Cup stakes
As the World Cup neared its conclusion one leading figure in European football pondered how Gianni Infantino might attempt to rinse away the damaging stain of the Folarin Balogun scandal. It all came down to money. “He will just announce more funds for everyone,” was the gist, although the tournament passed without any explanation of how Fifa would carve up its record $15bn (£11.2bn) haul.
That was the tip of the iceberg. Infantino’s plan to sell chunks of the World Cup to private investors, announced nine days after the final, has sent shockwaves around the sport and left senior personnel scrambling. There is little time for a coordinated response given Fifa, at the height of what passes for football’s holiday period, has given FAs until 19 September to decide whether to accept the initial $20m (£15m) payment that would effectively count as endorsement of the new scheme.
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