Should the Wellington Phoenix remain in the A-League?

Wellington Phoenix fans will have very little to cheer about if the Asisan Football Confederation has its way. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

The Wellington Phoenix soccer club could be facing extinction in 2012.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has ordered Football Federation Australia (FFA) to dump the Wellington-based club by 2012 or face Australian clubs being banned from the lucrative Asian Champions League (ACL).

Despite months of lobbying by the FFA, officials at the AFC yesterday maintained that having a club from another country, and confederation (Oceania), play in Australia's league breaks ACL rules.

The one caveat was that Wellington could continue in the A-League if their number of foreign players - ie non-Australian - was limited to the five that the other A-League clubs are permitted.

Should the Wellington Phoenix remain in the A-League?