Manchester United are not building up their hopes over a possible Champions League reprieve after FIFA threatened to suspend Switzerland from world football.

United missed out on a place in the last 16 of Europe's elite competition as Swiss club Basel claimed a famous victory earlier this month to move through at the Red Devils' expense.

However, there is now a possibility that Switzerland will be excluded from all football following a warning by FIFA on Saturday.

The world governing body announced that the Swiss FA would be suspended if Sion are not sanctioned by January 13.

Sion were put under a transfer embargo over the signing of Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, but proceeded to sign six players in the summer.

If the Swiss FA fail to enforce the transfer ban on Sion, Basel would be thrown out of the Champions League and United perhaps reinstated to face Bayern Munich in the next round.

However, an Old Trafford spokesman said in the Daily Express: "We are not holding our breath over this. It does seem a very long shot."

Leading figures in the Swiss game are understood to have met already to discuss the FIFA ultimatum and Basel vice-president Bernhard Heusler is desperate to avoid expulsion.

Heusler said: "I am confident that we will play Bayern Munich but I take the threat very seriously."