World football governing body FIFA banned Ethiopia from the 2010 World Cup on Friday after the long-running power struggle within the sport in the African nation failed to be resolved.

FIFA said on Friday that all four matches played by Ethiopia to date in African zone Group 8 qualifying tournament, as well as the results of those matches, are now cancelled.

The group now comprises three teams - Morocco, Mauritania and Rwanda. Ethiopia had won two matches in the group and had garnered six points.

"The Bureau of the Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup has decided to exclude the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) from the preliminary competition with immediate effect," said a FIFA statement.