Cardiff City have been told they will not be allowed into the UEFA cup if they lift the FA cup in May. Cardiff are represented by the FA of Wales despite playing in the English Championship and have been informed by UEFA that if they win at Wembley, their place in Europe would be taken up by the runners-up because the UEFA place is designated to an English team.

The winners of the Welsh Cup, the official knockout tournament of the Welsh FA, already receive the Welsh berth in the UEFA cup and the same rules apply if an English team wins the cup in Wales. However Cardiff, Wrexham, Swansea, Colwyn Bay, Merthyr Tydfill and Newport County are not permitted to enter the Welsh Cup due to their participation in the English football leagues. This means that Cardiff are effectively banned from European competition, a fact that may force Chairman Peter Ridsdale into a legal battle with UEFA. We believe they have a good case. Besides that, in a time when few English players represent the top English sides in Europe, it is obvious if they win the FA cup they deserve to represent England in Europe.

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