World Cup 2022: Wales' play-off with Austria may move to June

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Wales could not face Russia until they 'behave as a normal country' says FAW chief

Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Noel Mooney has accepted Wales' World Cup play-off semi-final against Austria later this month could be postponed until June.

The winners are to host either Scotland or Ukraine, who have requested their semi-final be put back following the invasion of their country by Russia.

Mooney says the FAW are seeking discussions with the three other nations, Fifa and Uefa.

He expects a decision early next week.

The match against Austria is currently scheduled for Thursday, 24 March with the final to decide who will qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to take place on Tuesday, 29 March.

"We are planning to play against Austria on the 24th of March in Cardiff City stadium," Mooney told BBC Radio Wales' Breakfast programme.

"I spoke to [Wales manager] Rob Page for example yesterday, we're all set for that.

"But then the news came through yesterday about Ukraine requesting a postponement of the match to June, so we've written to Fifa and to Uefa yesterday and we wrote to the other associations involved to say we should meet as soon as possible, early next week, to discuss how this would work because we've got a plethora of Nations League games of course in June.

"I promise you that we'll make a decision early next week, at the latest I would say, and then fans can look forward to either March or June to play our World Cup play-offs"

Wales - competing in League A of the Nations League for the first time - are due to host both Belgium and the Netherlands in June in addition to trips to Rotterdam and Poland.

The FAW had already announced it would not be prepared to play matches against Russia because of events in Ukraine, and Mooney - speaking before a pre-arranged meeting with the Scottish Football Association taking place in Scotland - insisted there would be no shift in approach.

"We have to show solidarity with our friends in Ukraine," he said.

"We are a football family at the Football Association of Wales. We love football but we're also socially conscious as well.

"Like anybody else we're appalled and disgusted by what's happening right now with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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"By complete coincidence, we're in Glasgow at the moment, myself and our President Steve Williams. We've arranged dinner with the Scottish FA more by accident than by design because we're due to meet them on a plethora of other matters.

"So that will certainly be at the dinner table today, discussing these matches in March.

"We're sold out for the Austria match, we're sold out for the Scotland or Ukraine match on the 29th, which will see us qualify for our first World Cup from 1958 [if Wales win].

"We're absolutely determined to qualify, but at the same time, we have to work with our partners and Fifa, Uefa and the other associations to make the right decision, a decision that's right for football, and is right for our friends in Ukraine also."

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