Tottenham will learn today whether or not they will lose leading scorer Frederic Kanoute to Mali for the African Nations Cup.
The decision on whether the 12-goal striker should be allowed to play in the tournament is due to be made by Tunisia's Slim Aloulou, the chairman of FIFA's players' status committee.
If Kanoute is given international clearance to play for Mali, struggling Spurs could lose him for three Premiership games and both the fourth and fifth rounds of the FA Cup if they progress.
When Spurs signed Kanoute from West Ham in the summer, as far as they were concerned he was a French national, and it is only a change in FIFA rules that has brought about this problem.
Club secretary John Alexander told the club website, www.spurs.co.uk: "When we signed Fredi back in the summer the FIFA ruling was that if any player played for a country in an A international - by which we mean World Cup Finals or qualifiers, European Championship finals or qualifiers or any other confederation's equivalent of the European Championship - then he can only play for that country.
"Fredi had played for France in European Championship games at Under-21 level and therefore in FIFA's eyes at the point of signing for Tottenham, he was a French player and could only ever be a French player.
"At its congress held in Doha on October 19, FIFA decided to change the statute relating to a player's eligibility to play for a national association, the new rule became effective on January 1, 2004.
"Any player over 21 - and this is where the new rule affects Fredi - has until the end of the year to submit to FIFA his application to change his country of allegiance.
"Fredi has parents born in Mali and therefore has dual-nationality and he's now been approached by Mali suggesting he takes advantage of the new rule.
"Fredi, in conjunction with the Mali federation and the French FA, has to submit a written and substantiated request along with a specified list of documents, all of which will then be put before FIFA's players' status committee. The decision is down to this committee."