Florent Malouda outing in CONCACAF Gold Cup could get French Guiana into trouble

French Guiana could face sanctions after former Chelsea star Florent Malouda played for them in a CONCACAF Gold Cup match.

Malouda, who made 80 international appearances for France, played for the country of his birth in a 0-0 draw with Honduras on Tuesday.

The overseas French department, who qualified for the tournament for the first time, now face disciplinary proceedings after defying FIFA regulations on player eligibility.

CONCACAF confirmed after the match that it had opened proceedings, even though French Guiana is not a member of football's governing body, since the tournament is governed by FIFA regulations.

FIFA rules bar players from switching national teams once they have played a competitive international, with the standard sanction for fielding an ineligible player being to forfeit the game 3-0.

Malouda made his French Guiana debut last month at the Caribbean Cup but was not selected for their first Gold Cup game, which ended in a 4-2 defeat against Canada.

The 37-year-old, who played 149 Premier League games for Chelsea, now plies his trade in the Indian Super League with the Delhi Dynamos.