Selling off World Cup shares is no longer an unfinished project idea. It has become an open battle threatening the throne of Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football.
In an unprecedented escalation, the president of the English Football Association, Debbie Hewitt, has demanded a full and comprehensive investigation into the FIFA president's radical plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. She also revealed details of a secret phone call by US President Donald Trump to lift the ban on a star of the US national team.
Britain's "The Sun" reports that Hewitt sent a strongly worded message to Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, demanding the immediate disclosure of all documents relating to the sale scheme before the decisive FIFA Council meeting next month.
Hewitt, who also holds the position of FIFA vice-president, insisted every council member must review the complete files. She stressed the need for an independent review, despite FIFA's announcement that it had cancelled the proposals after a wave of global anger.
Her demands did not stop at the sale file. She also called for an official clarification of a controversial decision relating to the suspension of US national team striker Folarin Balogun from this summer's World Cup.
Balogun had been due to miss the round-of-16 clash against Belgium after being sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ban was suspended for a full year following a direct call from President Donald Trump, allowing the striker to play.
This escalation comes as Infantino holds firm to his position despite the storm, confirming his intention to run for re-election next March.
Leaked and then abandoned amid international condemnation, the sale idea had prompted opponents led by the Union of European Football Associations "UEFA" to marshal their forces. UEFA threatened to withdraw from all future FIFA tournaments unless Infantino resigned, before pulling the threat in August following a pledge not to return to the project.
The battle has now moved to the courts. UEFA, the Asian confederation and CONCACAF have filed lawsuits accusing Infantino of fraud over his valuation of the tournament at 15 billion pounds sterling, demanding that the Swiss authorities intervene, and they also filed "document disclosure" claims in three US states: New York, Florida and Colorado.
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In a fresh blow to the FIFA president, several national federations, including the English Football Association, have officially withdrawn their letters of support for Infantino. That is a clear sign the battle of next March's elections may be the fiercest in FIFA's history.