Blatter is determined to stamp out racist chanting

Fifa can dock points or disqualify teams, and if national associations do not comply they may be banned from international football for two years.

Sectarian chants have plagued Scottish football, particularly Old Firm games.

A Fifa spokesman told BBC Sport: "There is an article in Fifa's statute to cover discrimination on race, colour, language, religion or ethnic origin."

Uefa is investigating allegations of bigoted chanting from Rangers fans during their Champions League ties with Villarreal, which will be heard by a panel on 12 April.

Fifa's warning does not cover specific clubs, but Article 3 of its General Provisions states: "Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or groups of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion."

The world governing body will now inform national associations of the new rules by letter - and the Scottish Football Association said it was still awaiting details.

A spokesman said: "We haven't had any detailed correspondence from Fifa on exactly how they propose to operate these sanctions, so until we receive that we can't really give a response."

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said: "I have repeatedly stressed Fifa's and my firm personal stance against racism and discrimination."

And he pledged "more severe measures to be adopted in order to kick this evil out of the beautiful game".