Fifa: Brunei can play football in 2012

THE International Federation of Association Football (Fifa) yesterday said that Brunei "can be back in international football in 2012".

On Monday the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) explained that the Sultanate has two alternatives if it wants to remain a part of the global football community, with the second option calling for a new body to officially apply to Fifa and AFC.

The first option called for the Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (Bafa) to be re-registered by local authorities, and the normal course of action would be Fifa in consultation with the AFC would appoint an interim committee which might be at the recommendation of current Brunei football stakeholders.

"Yes (the second option is viable), but as a precision, the application of a new body can come only after the first body has been expelled," said Fifa's Director of member associations Thierry Regenass in an email to The Brunei Times yesterday.

"That means that a new association could only expect to join Fifa and play in international competition after mid 2012," he added.

According to the AFC, the new national association (the Football Federation of Brunei Darussalam) has only sent a letter to Asia's governing body for the sport to announce its formation and intention to apply for membership.

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