Welcome to an exclusive Ask Me Anything session with me, Miguel Delaney, chief football writer at The Independent.
To see my questions and answers, scroll down – and don’t forget to press “load more” to catch the full Q&A.
This World Cup has produced some of the most dramatic football in years, from Messi’s tearful embrace with Lionel Scaloni after Argentina’s last-16 comeback against Egypt, to England’s rollercoaster win over Mexico. But alongside the drama on the pitch, a much bigger story has been building around Fifa itself.
The fallout from the Donald Trump interference row involving Folarin Balogun has left Fifa facing serious questions over sporting integrity, with Egypt coach Hossam Hassan among those openly accusing the tournament of being influenced by factors off the pitch.
Gianni Infantino has faced calls to resign, and the suspicion now hanging over marginal refereeing decisions – however unfounded – is a problem of Fifa’s own making.
Add to that the financial reality of the quarter-final line-up, dominated by Europe’s wealthiest football nations, and Fifa has a legitimacy crisis on its hands just as the football itself has been at its most compelling.
I’ll be discussing all of this – Infantino’s position, what the Trump/Balogun saga means for Fifa’s credibility, and where the governing body goes from here – with Independent readers in an exclusive Ask Me Anything session.
As chief football writer, I’ve spent years covering Fifa, its politics, and the power dynamics that shape the game at the very top – and I’ll be here to answer all your questions, from Infantino’s future and the Balogun controversy to what a genuine trust problem means for the rest of this World Cup and beyond.
Submit your questions below and join me for the Ask Me Anything Q&A on Thursday 9 July, from 4pm to 5pm BST (11am to 12pm ET for readers in the US). I’ll try to answer as many as I can within the hour!
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