FIFA warn Tunisia they could be banned from the World Cup in Qatar just weeks before the tournament

Tunisia is the latest nation at risk of being banned from the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

The African side, currently ranked 27^th in the world by FIFA, has been drawn alongside Australia, Denmark and defending champions France, in Group D.

But they are now at risk of being stripped of their place at the tournament.

FIFA has warned Tunisia that they could be excluded if the country's government interferes in footballing matters, the BBC has reported.

FIFA rules state that its members must be free from legal and political interference.

The warning from world football's governing body comes after Tunisia's Youth and Sports Minister, Kamel Deguiche, repeatedly spoke about the possibility of "dissolving federal bureaux".

His comments have been interpreted by FIFA as an attempt to meddle in the running of the country's football federation (FTF).

FIFA has reportedly asked the FTF for "clarification about attempts to interfere in its internal affairs" and reminded the governing body that its member associations are "legally obligated to conduct their affairs independently and without undue influence from third parties".

FIFA has given the FTF no later than Friday to issue its reply or face a potential ban which could rule the men's national team out of the World Cup.

Zimbabwe and Kenya are currently serving suspensions handed out by FIFA in relation to governmental interference in football.

Tunisia have been drawn alongside France, Australia and Denmark in Group D (Image: Alamy)

Meanwhile, India were also banned in August because of "undue influence from third parties", although the suspension was later lifted.

Tunisia are not the only team at risk of being banned from the tournament.

There have also been calls for FIFA to strip Iran of their place in Qatar due to the country's poor human rights record and its support for Russia in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this month, human rights group Open Stadiums called on FIFA to ban the Iranian national team from the World Cup because of the country's treatment of women.

It came as widespread protests gripped the country over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died while in police custody earlier this month.

The Iranian government has also been strongly criticised over its support for Russia in Ukraine.

The British Ministry of Defence claiming that Iran is continuing to supply Russia with uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have been used against targets throughout Ukraine.

There have also been calls for Iran to be excluded from the World Cup (Image: Alamy)

Chief executive of Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk, Sergei Palkin, has called on FIFA to strip Iran of their World Cup spot and hand it Ukraine, who were beaten 1-0 by Wales in their play-off final in June.

"#Shakhtar Football Club calls on #FIFA and the entire international community to immediately ban Iran's national team from playing at the World Cup for the country's direct participation in terrorist attacks on Ukrainians," said Palkin, in a statement released on Shakhtar's Twitter account.

"This will be a fair decision that should draw the attention of the whole world to a regime that kills its best people and helps kill Ukrainians.

"The vacant place should be taken by the national team of #Ukraine, which proved that it is worthy of participation in the mundial."

The World Cup is due to begin in less than a month, with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador in the opening match of the tournament on November 20.