FA reconsider Cardiff's eligibility

Updated 07.06 Sun Mar 16 2008

Keywords: sport, michel platini, uefa cup, uefa, fa cup, cardiff city, football

Cardiff City may be allowed to play in the Uefa Cup despite the Football Association's insistence they would not be eligible.

Cardiff are through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the winners of the competition usually enter the Uefa Cup the following season.

"There has been no definitive decision taken as far as this year's FA Cup is concerned" - FA spokesman

But the FA insist Cardiff cannot represent England in European competition as they are governed by the Football Association of Wales, so an extra place may be offered to a Premier League club.

Uefa president Michel Platini has promised to step in if Cardiff are denied a place in the competition and that has forced the FA to reconsider their stance.

An FA spokesman said: "Historically, the understanding of the FA has been that Welsh clubs were ineligible for the Uefa Cup should they have won the FA Cup.

"The question of eligibility for Welsh clubs has not arisen for many years so it is only now appropriate for us to look at the issue afresh. At this time, there has been no definitive decision taken as far as this year's FA Cup is concerned."