"With the investigations which have been conducted up to his point, evidence has been collected which suggests that offences connected to so-called match-fixing have been committed," said FESFUT in a statement late on Wednesday.

The players banned included Ramon Sanchez, Osael Romero, Eliseo Quintanilla, Dennis Alas, Alfredo Pacheco and Marvin Gonzalez, who all have over 50 caps.

South American Football Brazil superstar Ronaldinho set to retire 09/09/2016 AT 08:30

Other players with regular international experience included Cristian Castillo, Miguel Montes, Rodolfo Zelaya, Victor Turcios and Jose Mardoqueo Henriquez.

Only two of the banned players have not played for the national side.

All the players are of Salvadorean nationality and two of them play abroad - Sanchez, who plays for Kazakhstan's FC Vostok, and Turcios, who plays for Rovaniemen Palloseura in Finland.

Central America is seen as especially vulnerable to match-fixing as many clubs struggle financially, playing conditions are poor and players often do not get paid on time.

Last year, Guatemalan internationals Guillermo Ramirez, Gustavo Cabrera and Yony Flores were banned for life by their country's federation over evidence they had manipulated three games.

The games included one club match - the CONCACAF Champions League fixture between Mexico's Santos Laguna and Guatemalan club CSD Municipal which Santos won 6-1 in Oct. 2010 - and friendlies against Costa Rica and Venezuela last year.

South American Football Brazil legend Rivaldo ponders comeback at 43 23/06/2015 AT 10:29