UEFA Cup door open for Cardiff

CARDIFF will represent England in next season’s UEFA Cup should they beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup final, the FA board decided yesterday.

Under current FA regulations Cardiff would not automatically qualify for Europe by winning the FA Cup – as a Welsh side they would normally qualify via the Welsh Cup.

But the FA board yesterday approved a move to allow Cardiff to take the UEFA Cup place if the Championship side are victorious at Wembley next month.