World Cup: Football can 'bring countries together'

Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson, believes the world game can bring countries together during the current political upheaval.

Thompson, who has recently returned from a meeting of the UEFA executive committee in Prague, said: ‘‘We must be aware of what is going on around us and be pro-active in taking precautions but, ultimately, we must carry on.’’

One round of Champions League matches was postponed following the terrorist strikes on America, but Thompson, who has also recently visited Kazakhstan as part of a UEFA delegation in a fact-finding mission, believes football - and the World Cup in particular - has a role to play in bringing nations together during turbulent international times.

‘‘We will go to the World Cup draw in Busan on December 1 with much interest,’’ he said.

‘‘The World Cup is the occasion that brings the whole of the football family together and it is a great opportunity for us to show once again how, in a time of division, sport can be a uniting force.’’