Australia edges closer to Asia after release from Oceania group
Australia edges closer to Asia after release from Oceania group
Agence France-Presse, Sydney
Australia took another step on Sunday towards joining the
Asian Football Confederation when it received an official release
from the Oceania Football Confederation.
All that remains for Australia to play their post-2006 World
Cup qualification matches in Asia is approval from soccer's world
governing body FIFA, likely in June.
The Asian Football Confederation announced last month that
Australia's quest to leave Oceania and play in Asia had been
unanimously endorsed by its executive committee after a meeting
in Kuala Lumpur.
Australia has sought to leave Oceania to join the AFC in the
hope of making World Cup qualifying easier.
Oceania Football Confederation president Reynald Temarii said
Sunday in announcing the OFC's endorsement that soccer was
evolving and its organizations must move with the times.
"The move of Australia to Asia is one the executive and I
fully support as it will further develop football in Australia
and at the same time provide many opportunities for the remaining
OFC members," Temarii said.
"Their departure is the catalyst we need in OFC to try even
harder to develop the game in this region."
Both the OFC and the Football Federation of Australia will
sign a cooperation agreement next month in which the FFA will
pledge to assist the OFC in soccer development programs.
"Although they will be part of Asia we will continue to foster
friendly relations with them and have exchanges. After all they
are still family," Temarii said.
The matter will now be considered by FIFA but arrangements
will be unchanged for next year's World Cup finals in Germany.
Australia has to beat the Solomon Islands home and away and
then a yet-to-be determined fifth-placed team from South America
to reach the 2006 finals.
By joining Asia, Australia will be fighting 44 other countries
for a maximum of five World Cup spots for the next 2010
qualifying campaign.
The Socceroos could play up to 16 matches while qualifying
through Asia if Australia are successful in their bid to join the