The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been handed a police file concerning allegations England and Chelsea captain John Terry made racist comments.
Terry has been accused of using racist language towards Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand, during Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at Loftus Road on 23 October.
The CPS received the file late on Wednesday night and will now decide whether to bring a prosecution.
If Terry is found guilty, he could lose the England captaincy.
'I'm saddened' After the allegations were made, Terry issued a statement saying: "I've seen that there's a lot of comments on the internet with regards to some video footage of me during the game.
"I'm disappointed that people have leapt to the wrong conclusions about the context of what I was seen to be saying to Anton Ferdinand."I would never say such a thing, and I'm saddened that people would think so."
Ferdinand has said he has "very strong" feelings on what happened but would not say anymore about it until the Football Association's investigation was over.