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. Infantino’s plan to sell chunks of the World Cup to private investors, announced on Tuesday, nine days after the final, has sent shock waves around the sport and left senior personnel scrambling. Fifa’s plan, which could allow private investors a say in how and when its tournaments are run, is potentially more seismic and global in scale. View image in fullscreen Fireworks go off at New York New Jersey Stadium as Spain’s Rodri lifts the World Cup. But England’s FA, which is hoping to rubber-stamp its hosting of the 2035 Women’s World Cup, was quick to offer its endorsement well before this summer.