Updated: April 24, 2008, 4:09 PM EST 5 comments

add this RSS blog email print

The English Football Association said Thursday after a board meeting that it will allow Cardiff, which plays in England's League Championship, to be part of its European allocation if it beats Premier League club Portsmouth at Wembley Stadium on May 17.

"The board ... gave full approval for Cardiff City to participate in next season's UEFA Cup as one of England's representatives, should they win this season's FA Cup," the FA said in a statement.

The FA's rules state that Welsh clubs can only qualify through their own competitions. The FA Cup winner normally automatically reaches the UEFA Cup. When Cardiff reached the final, UEFA said it would offer the Welsh club a wild card into the tournament should it win.

When the League of Wales was formed in 1992, Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham all decided not to join, choosing to remain instead in English leagues. Cardiff last played in the FA Cup final in 1927, winning 1-0 over Arsenal. It's the only time that the cup has been won by a club outside England.

Like in 1927, the Welsh national anthem of "Land of our Fathers" or "Mae Hen Wlad fy Nhadau" will be played before the match, along with the British anthem of "God save the Queen" - or "King" as it was then - and the traditional hymn "Abide with Me."

England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland make up Britain. The countries compete separately in international soccer and at the Commonwealth Games but as Britain for the Olympics. England's soccer team uses "God save the Queen" as its anthem, however, England's Commonwealth Games team plays "Land of Hope and Glory."