FIFA forewarned Brazil that if its football board's intervention results in the election of a new president in January, its national teams and clubs may be suspended from international competitions.

The Brazilian soccer governing body warned the country's soccer organization CBF on Sunday in a letter to a soccer executive that if it does not follow its request to wait and instead quickly holds elections to replace Ednaldo Rodrigues as president, the country's soccer body could be suspended. The Associated Press was able to secure the document.

Due to anomalies in Rodrigues' election from the previous year, a Rio de Janeiro court dismissed him from office on December 7 along with all of his CBF appointees. Last Monday, that decision was upheld by Brazil's two highest courts.

FIFA, the body that oversees soccer, has a history of rejecting intervention from the government and outside parties in its member associations. As a result, Brazil, the five-time World Cup winners, may be excluded from important competitions until the situation is resolved.

The letter dated Sunday was signed by Monserrat Jiménez Garcia, the deputy secretary-general of CONMEBOL, and Kenny Jean-Marie, the top members' association officer of FIFA.

In the letter, FIFA and South American soccer organization CONMEBOL also stated that they will set up a commission to meet in Brazil on January 8 to discuss the issue.