The Football Association has confirmed that Cardiff City will not be eligible for a Uefa Cup place should they win the FA Cup this season.

Dave Jones' Bluebirds will face Barnsley in the semi-finals following Monday's draw at Soho Square and if they see off The Tykes, the team who face them in the final at Wembley will be guaranteed of a place in Europe for next season.

An FA spokesman said: "Cardiff are not eligible for an English place. Those rules are set in stone at the start of the season and they enter in that knowledge."

As members of the Welsh Football Association the club are not eligible to take one of England's spots, even if they are of course free to compete in and win the domestic cup competition and the domestic leagues.

That will be welcome news for West Brom and Portsmouth who could, in theory, lose at Wembley and still claim a place in next season's Uefa Cup.