Will AFC force A-League to dump Wellington?

Only Australian clubs will be allowed to participate in the A-League by 2011 according to Asian Football Confederation President Mohammed Bin Hammam.

In an interview aired on SBS on Sunday, Bin Hammam suggested that Wellington Phoenix could play no further part in Australia’s domestic competition in order to meet AFC’s entry requirements for a revamped Asian Champions League.

The status of Phoenix has been a murky issue and it has not been clear whether they are considered an Australian club within the AFC or a New Zealand club within the Oceania Football Confederation.

Should Phoenix win either the A-League minor premiership or grand final they would – technically – qualify as one of Australia’s entrants into the Asian Champions League, however the AFC would not allow Wellington to participate.

At the same time OFC officials have made it clear that they’d welcome Phoenix to compete in Oceania’s premier club competition, the O-League, although FIFA have effectively blocked this as an option.

Thus Wellington have remained in limbo since their induction to the A-League and now the uncertainty has deepened in regards to their status at Confederation level.

Phoenix ran out 7-0 winners in a practice match against OFC O-League Champions Waitakere United on Saturday, suggesting AFC probably need to consider the scenario more closely.

Waitakere meet Adelaide United in match 1 of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup on December 11.

Published on November 17, 2008