World Cup: FAI to go on fact-finding mission

The FAI is hoping to find out more information about their World Cup play-off arrangements by the end of the week.

Football Association of Ireland president Milo Corcoran and chief executive Brendan Menton are due to fly out to Prague tomorrow for the UEFA Congress on Thursday and Friday hoping for further clarification.

"We will be having urgent talks over the next 48-hours with senior FIFA officials who will be attending the Congress," said Menton.

The FAI has already had telephone conversations with FIFA and has since sent them a letter outlining their reservations.

"We are looking for a quick decision by the governing body of football as this would be in the interests of all parties concerned.

"Both FAI and FIFA recognise that military action which started in Afghanistan on Sunday might increase the difficulties."

Having finished second to Portugal on goal difference after completing their 10 Group Two qualifying games with seven wins and three draws, Mick McCarthy’s side will now face an as yet unknown team from the Asian group.

Into that category come Saudi Arabia, Iran, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates, all close to the current Middle-East conflict.

The first play-off game is scheduled for Lansdowne Road in Dublin on Saturday, November 10 with the return five days later.

FIFA are unlikely to make any fill not be, if all goes as planned, until 10 days before the first match in Dublin.

"We will continue to monitor developments in the region but it is far too early to comment about any possibility of changing the structure of the play-off," said FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren.

"The 2002 World Cup organising committee has no plans to meet on the matter. But if it needs to do so then it can be done by video conferencing and telephone," added Herren.

"At the moment this is not the case and the fact that this week’s Asian group games are still down for decision suggests that the Asian Football Conference is happy with its own competition."

On Friday Iran are scheduled to play Iraq in Baghdad while the following day Oman meet Uzbekistan. China, who have already qualified for the finals, play host to Qatar on the same day while no-hopers Bahrain are away to Thailand also on October 13.