Appearing on Uruguayan TV in June, Bentancur was asked by a presenter for a Tottenham shirt, before replying: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Bentancur later apologised on Instagram and said his comments were a “very bad joke”.
The FA said the 27-year-old Uruguay international had been “charged with an alleged breach of FA rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview”.
“It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought into disrepute,” said a statement from English football’s governing body.
The FA said this constituted an “aggravated breach… as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin”.
In terms of a length of ban, FA laws say, external “match-based sanctions of 6-12 games will be recommended to regulatory commissions for almost all acts of discrimination by individual participants”.
Bentancur has until Thursday, 19 September to respond to the charge.
Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the Football Association for using a racial slur about team-mate Son Heung-min.
Appearing on Uruguayan TV in June, Bentancur was asked by a presenter for a Tottenham shirt, before replying: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Bentancur later apologised on Instagram and said his comments were a “very bad joke”.
The FA said the 27-year-old Uruguay international had been “charged with an alleged breach of FA rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview”.