Australia hoping to ditch Oceania region for Asia

Australia have asked FIFA for permission to ditch the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and join Asia as part of a move to develop their domestic game and make it easier to qualify for the World Cup.

Frank Lowy, chairman of Football Federation Australia (FFA), released a statement yesterday confirming talks were underway for his country to join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) after 2006.

"For some time now the FFA has had an objective to join AFC," Lowy said. "Our current affiliation leaves Australia in an anomalous situation in a football sense."

FFA chief executive John O'Neill said the push to join Asia was part of a long-term strategy to improve the commercial and competitive nature of soccer in a country where it lags behind the more popular football codes of Australian Rules, rugby union and rugby league.

"There is no doubt that if FFA is able to achieve membership of AFC, it will go a long way towards transforming football in Australia," O'Neill said.

Australia have long entertained thoughts of joining Asia but the move intensified after FIFA went back on its promise to award Oceania direct entry to the 2006 World Cup.

Under the existing arrangement the Oceania winner, Australia or the Solomon Islands, have to play-off against a South American team while Asia has four direct qualifying spots and a play-off position.