By Chris Burton Last updated: 29th May 2008
Iraq have been granted permission to play their World Cup qualifier against Australia on Sunday.
The game had been in doubt after Fifa suspended the reigning Asian champions from international competition.
The decision was taken in response to the axing of their National Olympic Committee, however the ban has been temporarily lifted after assurances from the Iraqi government that the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) had remained untouched.
Fifa have made it clear that they are still unhappy with the current situation and have reiterated that they will have no qualms in reinstating the suspension should certain demands fail to be met.
Football's governing body are concerned that the Iraqi government are too keen to control all of their national sporting associations and have called on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to help resolve the matter.
"This is a positive step forward, however it does not fully answer all of Fifa's concerns about the governmental attempts to control the Iraqi federations and the Iraqi National Olympic Committee," read a statement released by Fifa.
AFC president Mohamed Bin Hamman, who had led the push for Iraq to be suspended, has welcomed the positive steps being taken, but has warned that there is still some way to go before the country can be fully accepted back into the sporting community.
"This process would be completed only when the suspension imposed on the Iraq Olympic Association and all sports bodies is lifted," he said.
"Only such a move can lead to re-instilling of trust in Iraqi sports."
Australia, who had been set to suffer substantial financial losses had the game been called off, have expressed their delight at the match in Brisbane being given the go-ahead.
"This is great news," Football Federation of Australia (FFA) chief executive Ben Buckley said.
"It has always been our hope that the games could go ahead as they are critical matches in Australia's World Cup qualification preparation, and playing football is what we're here for."
World Cup 2010 Win Outright: Australia 125/1| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 6th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Fulham vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Wigan |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Liverpool |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Chelsea |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Middlesbrough |
| 15:00 | Newcastle vs Stoke |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs Sunderland |
| Sunday 7th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Portsmouth |
| 16:00 | Everton vs Aston Villa |
| Monday 8th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | West Ham vs Tottenham |
| Saturday 13th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Middlesbrough vs Arsenal |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Liverpool vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs West Brom |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Blackburn |
| 17:30 | Tottenham vs Man Utd |
| Sunday 14th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Portsmouth vs Newcastle |
| 16:00 | Chelsea vs West Ham |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Monday 1st December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 0 - 0 West Ham | |
| Sunday 30th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man City 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
| Portsmouth 3 - 2 Blackburn | |
| Tottenham 0 - 1 Everton | |
| Chelsea 1 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Saturday 29th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 1 - 4 Bolton | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 0 Fulham | |
| Wigan 2 - 1 West Brom | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Newcastle | |
| Stoke 1 - 1 Hull | |
| Monday 24th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 1 - 0 Everton | |
| Sunday 23rd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Tottenham 1 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Sunderland 0 - 1 West Ham | |
| Saturday 22nd November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man City 3 - 0 Arsenal | |
| Portsmouth 2 - 2 Hull | |
| Chelsea 0 - 0 Newcastle | |
| Stoke 1 - 0 West Brom | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 0 Man Utd | |
| Liverpool 0 - 0 Fulham | |
| Middlesbrough 1 - 3 Bolton | |
Feyenoord have taken Ren Sengoku on trial with a view to signing the Japanese playmaker in January.
Chelsea have invited Uzbekistan's Server Djeparov and UAE starlet Ahmed Khalil to train with the club.
Vissel Kobe have confirmed Wolfsburg have made a bid for Japan international striker Yoshito Okubo.