Brazil could be banned from the World Cup as FIFA issues stark warning

Brazil has been warned that its national teams and clubs could be suspended from international competition by FIFA.

Brazil is one of the most successful nations in international football, having won the Men's World Cup a record five times and Copa America on nine occasions.

Its women's team has won their version of the Copa America a record eight times, while Brazil's domestic sides regularly compete in international club football – with Copa Libertadores champions Fluminese recently finishing runners-up to Manchester City at the FIFA Club World Cup.

But its chances of adding to that international success could be about to take a hit.

Football's world governing body FIFA has warned Brazil it could suspend its national teams and clubs from international competitions if an intervention by the country's federation (CBF) leads to the election of a new president in January.

ESPN has reported that FIFA said in a letter to a Brazilian football executive that the CBF could face suspension if it holds a "swift election to replace Ednaldo Rodrigues as president".

A Rio de Janeiro court removed Rodrigues from office on December 7 due to "irregularities in his election" last year, a ruling which Brazil's two highest courts upheld last week.

The court ruling also named Jose Perdiz, the head of Brazil's top sports court, as an intervener to organise new elections for the presidency.

FIFA rejects government and third-party interference in its member associations, which could lead to Brazil potentially being banned from international tournaments.

FIFA threatened to ban Tunisia from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after youth and sports minister Kamel Deguiche spoke of the possibility of "dissolving” federal bodies in the African country, potentially including the Tunisian Football Association.

The latest row involving Brazil has led to a similar threat from FIFA and is likely to harm the country's bid to host the Women's World Cup in 2027.

Brazil have won the World Cup a record five times (Image: Getty)

ESPN report that FIFA and South American football's governing body CONMEBOL said in the letter, which was also obtained by the Associated Press, they will form a commission to discuss the matter in Brazil on January 8.

"FIFA and CONMEBOL would like to strongly emphasize that, until such mission takes place, no decision affecting CBF, including any elections or call for elections, shall be taken," the letter said.

"Should this not be respected, FIFA will have no other option but to submit the matter to its relevant decision-making body for consideration and decision, which might also include a suspension.

"For the sake of good order, we would also like to underline that should CBF be eventually suspended by the relevant FIFA body, it would lose all of its membership rights with immediate effect and until the suspension is lifted by FIFA.

"This would also mean that CBF representative and club teams would no longer be entitled to take part in any international competition while it is suspended."