FIFA are being accused of fixing the World Cup playoffs draw to favour the bigger nations.

The Mail on Sunday says FIFA made a U-turn on their rules last week, with star names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery in danger of missing out.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced on Tuesday the eight second-placed teams in the European qualifying groups would be seeded for the play-offs.

That contradicts correspondence sent by FIFA to countries a year ago. Top countries are now guaranteed to avoid each other in the play-offs.

One senior official at a nation in contention said: "It is outrageous. It is not fair to make the rules to suit certain countries."