FIFA has been ordered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to "accept Gibraltar as a member, opening the national team's path to play in the 2018 World Cup qualifying program," according to the AP. The CAS said on Monday that it upheld the Gibraltar football federation's appeal against FIFA blocking entry in '14, "but its panel of judges could not directly grant membership." The CAS said in a statement, "The panel has unanimously ordered that the FIFA Congress take all necessary measures to admit (Gibraltar) as a full member of FIFA as soon as possible, within the limits of the FIFA Statutes." The ruling means Gibraltar "could now be fast-tracked into a 2018 World Cup qualifying group which kicks off in September." The CAS judges insisted that the FIFA ruling council "should act quickly" (AP, 5/2). REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported Gibraltar became a member of UEFA in '13 "after a 14-year struggle during which it faced opposition from Spain." The British territory "was twice rebuffed" by UEFA and took its case to CAS which ruled in its favor. UEFA then said Gibraltar's teams "would be kept apart from Spain in any competition in which they took part." Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Ángel María Villar "refused to comment when approached by reporters at his hotel in Budapest where UEFA is holding its annual Congress on Tuesday" (REUTERS, 5/2).
