FIFA threatens Spain with 2018 World Cup expulsion

FIFA has issued a warning to Spain that interference from the country's government in the Spanish FA's (RFEF) presidential election carries with it the penalty of expulsion from the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

World football's governing body is investigating the circumstances surrounding the RFEF's recent election cycle after its former president, Angel Maria Villar, was suspended and made to step down due to corruption charges. The RFEF is currently led by interim president Juan Luis Larrea.

"A joint delegation from FIFA and UEFA will travel to Madrid in the near future to observe and analyse the situation that the RFEF is going through," a FIFA-issued statement reads, as quoted by BBC Sport.

"We recently sent a letter to the RFEF showing concern and reminding them that, according to the FIFA statutes, all member federations must manage their affairs independently and ensure that there is no interference by third parties."

FIFA received a complaint that the Spanish government made contact with the RFEF over Villar's eventual successor, which, as the Independent reports, is in direct violation of FIFA's rules against any involvement by governments in the affairs of their nation's footballing federations.

Marca reports FIFA is investigating whether the Higher Council for Sports in Spain interfered with the RFEF's election process in some way. If it's deemed contact was indeed made and the election was interfered with, the 2010 world champion could subsequently be sanctioned with a ban from all FIFA competitions, including the 2018 World Cup.

Kuwait earned a similar suspension from 2015 to 2017 due to political interference.