Wales' top football official fears a court case between Europe's elite clubs and world governing body Fifa threatens the future of international football.
The G14 group of clubs is supporting Belgian side Charleroi in a claim for compensation against Fifa over a player injured in an international match.
Fifa believes national associations should reimburse clubs in these cases.
FA of Wales secretary general David Collins warns that such a move could bankrupt smaller nations like Wales.
Charleroi's Moroccan international Abdelmajid Oulmers was out for eight months after being injured playing against Burkina Faso in November 2004.
The Belgian club is arguing that the loss of Oulmers scuppered their hopes of winning their domestic league last season.
"We just can't see how we could generate money to pay the players"
The G14 group is backing the case hoping to set a precedent for the payment of compensation by football federations for the use of players for international fixtures.
"If we had to pay anything like the players' salaries... we couldn't play international matches, we'd be bankrupting ourselves," said Collins, speaking on BBC Radio Wales' The Back Page programme.
"International football as we know it would cease.
"I'd hazard a guess that even the likes of England and Germany, the two biggest of the national associations, could not frankly keep going."
The Belgian Commercial Court ultimately rejected the G14 demand for compensation, but the case has been referred to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
The G14 group represents 18 of Europe's most powerful clubs, including domestic giants Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, plus the cream of the continent such as Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich.
"It was an unanimous view from all 52 national associations (in Europe) that if Charleroi and G14 eventually win this case then it certainly could put international football in doubt," Collins added.
"We just can't see how we could generate money to pay the players firstly and then run the rest of football, the sums just don't add up."
*David Collins was speaking on BBC Radio Wales' The Back Page programme, which has a regular slot on Saturdays, 0830-0900 BST