
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.
How to join the Q&A
Make sure you are logged in to a registered account on independent.co.uk. Register or log in here – then return to this page to submit your question!
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!
If you’re struggling to post, please make sure you are logged in to a registered account on independent.co.uk. Register or log in here – then return to this page to submit your question!
Get Miguel’s member’s only Inside Football newsletter

The football fixture calendar is relentless, and the news cycle feels nonstop. There’s a lot to keep up with – and to make sense of. That’s where my newsletter Inside Football comes in.
Landing in your inbox every Friday, Inside Football delivers insight, opinion, and the under-the-radar details you love.
Think of my newsletter as the game’s answer to Popbitch: a space to go deeper and share what I’m seeing and hearing as I cover the game around the world.
My weekly newsletter is for Inside Football members and Independent Premium subscribers only, and includes:
- An agenda-setting column, diving into the real story behind a big football theme
- Behind-the-scenes updates from my reporting trips, from the Champions League to the 2026 World Cup
- Access to my weekly Q&As, where your questions can be featured
- Snippets of insider knowledge from my sources, offering a deeper view beyond the headlines
New Inside Football members can enjoy their first month FREE. After that, membership costs just £3 per month or £30 per year. Join here.
Existing Independent Premium subscribers can simply sign up to receive Inside Football by visiting our newsletters page here.


