Ecuador faces being kicked out of the FIFA World Cup after evidence that player used fake birth documents emerges

• Ecuador could be kicked out of the FIFA World Cup.
• The country is under investigation for fielding an ineligible player.

Ecuador is facing possible expulsion from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar after new evidence of one of its players using false birth documents has come to light.

Chile's Football Federation (ANFP) made a complaint to FIFA in May, shortly after Ecuador had booked its place for the tournament, claiming that defender Byron Castillo was actually born in Colombia.

FIFA dismissed the claim and ruled that Castillo, who made eight appearances during Ecuador's World Cup qualifying campaign, was born in Ecuador.

But later that month, Spanish newspaper MARCA obtained a copy of Castillo's Colombian birth certificate.

On September 12, MailOnline then published an audio recording of an interview with Castillo, conducted by the Ecuador Football Federation (FEF)'s Investigative Commission, four years ago, in which the defender admitted he was born in Colombia.

In the interview, Castillo said he was born in 1995 and not 1998 as stated by his Ecuadorian birth certificate and that his real name is Bayron Javier Castillo Segura.

He also detailed how he left Colombia to pursue a professional soccer career in Ecuador and named an Ecuadorian businessman who provided him with a new identity.

"I crossed the border because, you know, teams from Tumaco play in San Lorenzo," Castillo said.

"I went to do some trials in San Lorenzo, I remember that very well. I never got picked for any of the teams at those trials, but my friend who was picked never turned up so I went instead."

The findings of the interview with Castillo were shared in a letter the FEF's President and Disciplinary Commission in December 2018, according to MailOnline.

Despite this, in 2019, the FEF officially ruled that Castillo was an Ecuadorian citizen.

FIFA's appeals commission are due to rule on the matter on Thursday, according to MailOnline.

Chile finished seventh in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, three places behind Ecuador. If FIFA decides to award Chile victories over Ecuador in the two matches the nations played against one another, it would see Chile overtake Ecuador in the qualifying table and secure its place in Qatar.

Alternatively, if FIFA decides to forfeit all of Ecuador's qualifying matches, fifth placed Peru would instead qualify for the World Cup.