That's the prospect after an anti-racism group reported England fans to football's world governing body, FIFA, for chants about Rio Ferdinand and his brother Anton in San Marino last Friday.
Precedents have already been set, with FIFA forcing Hungary and Bulgaria to play home World Cup qualifiers at empty stadiums last Friday.
England’s next qualifier is against Moldova on September 6 and the Football Association now face an anxious wait to discover whether FIFA dish out extreme punishment.
Anti-racism group FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) confirmed on Thursday that they had made a complaint about a chant about the Ferdinand brothers.
The chant was by England fans in San Marino angered at former captain Ferdinand, who rejected the chance of an international return because of a back problem, but then took a 15-hour return flight to appear as a TV analyst in the Middle East.
The chant's lyrics involved both Ferdinand brothers being burnt on a bonfire, which FARE believe has obvious racist overtones.
A FARE spokeswoman said: “It refers to the racist abuse Rio Ferdinand received, along with his brother Anton. We don’t make the judgment.
“We send a report to FIFA but in the end it’s their decision whether they open proceedings or not. And whether they issue a fine or not.”
England fans also sang songs about the IRA and there are allegations that supporters under banning orders made the trip.
Hate figure: Was England fans' abuse of Rio Ferdinand racist?Matthew Peters
FARE did admit that they did not have a representative at the game and were relying on reports.
"FIFA, in the last couple of incidents they’ve dealt with, have shown a stronger side. They banned Hungary and Bulgaria from playing with fans last Friday. Forced them to play behind closed doors.
"That’s quite rare to have a major tournament qualifier behind closed doors. The last two incidents we reported FIFA showed a very strong hand."
QPR defender Ferdinand was involved in a high-profile racism case after Chelsea captain John Terry was banned and fined £220,000 by the FA for racially abusing him.
England’s fans have also turned on his older brother, Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, after he snubbed a call-up because of a long running back injury but still did TV punditry on Al Jazeera.
Hungary were punished for fans making anti-semitic chants at Israel supporters during a friendly last August and is a clear warning to England.
They were also fined £27,000, while Bulgarian fans were banned for previous racist chants.
The bad news for the FA is that this issue has emerged as football’s authorities start to clamp down on racist behaviour at grounds.
On Thursday, European football's governing body, UEFA, urged referees to stop matches if they heard racist chants, told players to walk off the pitch if they heard racist abuse and said they should also report racist team-mates.
England keeper Joe Hart claimed he was hit by objects thrown by Montenegro fans in Tuesday night's second leg of the qualifying double header, and there were calls for FIFA to take action against the Balkan nation.
But now it is the England fans and the FA who are in the dock.
And with England already facing a battle to book their place in next year's World Cup, FIFA disciplinary charges could lead to a vital qualifier being played in an empty Wembley - if the precedent set by Hungary and Bulgaria is anything to go by.
Manager Roy Hodgson spoke after the draw in Montenegro about needing the support of fans, with three of England’s four remaining qualifiers to be played at Wembley.
England supporters disagreed about the intent of the offending song.
Paul Bishop, 48, who has been travelling home and away with England for 12 years, said: “I didn’t hear the chant but I’ve got friends who did and, without a doubt, it is definitely racist.
“I don’t like Rio, I don’t approve of what he did but that, for me, will never have anything to do with his colour. If I’d heard that song then I would have confronted the person singing it.”
But Hereford fan Mark Knapper, 54, who has not missed an England game for 10 years, said: “No way was it racist. It was banter, nothing more. People were incensed about Rio not reporting up.
“We were accused of being racist in Bulgaria two years ago for singing, ‘Where’s your caravan?’ Surely that is political correctness gone mad. That’s not racist.”
Mirror Sport did contact the FA, but they declined to comment as the report had been made to FIFA.
