FIFA has warned the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) that its national team may be excluded from the coming World Cup in Qatar if the Tunisian government interferes in footballing matters, according to the BBC.

Kamel Deguiche, Youth and Sports Minister of Tunisia, recently spoke about "dissolving federal bureaux," which FIFA considered a reference to the FTF. As the world football governing body, FIFA requires its member federations be free from legal and political interference.

"In this regard, we would like to remind you that member associations of FIFA are legally obligated to conduct their affairs independently and without undue influence from third parties. Any failure to comply with these obligations may result in the imposition of penalties under the FIFA laws, including suspension of the relevant association," Kenny Jean-Marie, FIFA's director of member associations, wrote in a letter to Wajdi Aouadi, FTF's general secretary.

Having secured qualification for the Qatar World Cup in March, Tunisia will begin their fifth World Cup journey from Group D against the reigning champions France, Denmark and Australia. The "Eagles of Carthage" made their World Cup debut in 1978 in Argentina, but have never made it out of the group stage in all of the previous four editions of the tournament they participated in.

FIFA has sanctioned other national teams for similar reasons in the past. Iraq, Nigeria, Guatemala, Kuwait, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kenya and India all saw their teams banned from international games before.

"There is not one specific statement that FIFA is concerned about – it is many," Tunisian sports freelance journalist Souhail Khmira wrote for the BBC. "Over the past few months the Minister of Sport has called on the FTF to postpone the domestic league and review kick-off dates."

"At one point he insinuated that the Ministry of Sport has the authority, according to Tunisian law, to dissolve federal bureaux. The FTF has seen that as a threat. That constant harassment was seen as interference, and is what FIFA has been referring to," he added.

So far, there is no response from the FTF to FIFA.