Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has written to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, requesting an independent investigation into plans for private investment in the World Cup and the handling of Folarin Balogun's disciplinary case, the Press Association understands.
The move increases pressure on Infantino, who has faced opposition from three continental confederations to his proposal. The plan aimed to establish a commercial entity to manage Fifa tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, and offload a 20 per cent stake to private investors.
Hewitt's letter, which was first revealed by The Times, also requests an explanation regarding Fifa’s disciplinary committee opting to suspend a one-game ban handed to United States forward Balogun during the tournament. This decision came before US president Donald Trump admitted he personally contacted Infantino to request a re-examination of the red card given to Balogun.
Uefa has stated it has "lost confidence" in Infantino and has launched legal proceedings in the US court system to compel the disclosure of files related to the private investment scheme. Uefa has also committed to backing an opponent to challenge Infantino at the Fifa Congress next March.