Cardiff´s bid for a place in Europe if they win the FA Cup has been given a boost after they received the backing of the Football Association´s professional game board.

Should the Bluebirds defeat Portsmouth at Wembley they would not be allowed into the UEFA Cup under current FA rules, but the professional game board - which is made up of Premier League and Football League chairman - agreed Cardiff should be allowed to enter the UEFA Cup as a representative of England.

Professional game board spokesman Dan Johnson told the Western Mail: "Members of the professional game board debated the Cardiff matter and decided the fair thing to do is for them to be permitted to go into Europe."