The club believes 1,000 tickets were stolen

The tickets were stolen from a Royal Mail van parked outside the Everton Football Club megastore last Friday.

On Thursday, Merseyside Police said a 36-year-old man from Anfield had been arrested on suspicion of theft.

Liverpool Football Club (LFC) said affected fans will get tickets formerly held for a ballot of fan card holders.

Cardiff's Millennium Stadium had refused to print duplicate tickets, leaving more than 1,000 fans with the prospect of missing the match.

Congratulations to the club for finding the best possible solution Liverpool Supporters' Club

The FA had said there was "no option" but to stand by initial safety advice against issuing duplicates by the stadium's Safety Advisory Group.

LFC chief executive Rick Parry had said the decision by Millennium Stadium officials was "unacceptable" and effectively penalised supporters.

"We have decided that tickets which had originally been held back for a ballot of Fan Card holders will now be used to replace those stolen and we are confident the vast majority of supporters affected will be offered replacement tickets for the final," he said.

"Obviously, those supporters who had applied for inclusion in the ballot will be disappointed, but we feel this is the best way to deal with a very difficult situation."

The Official Liverpool Supporters Club welcomed the club's move, though a spokesman said he was sorry there would be fewer tickets available for the ballot.

Postal uniform

He said: "Congratulations to the club for finding the best possible solution.

"I felt so sorry for the fans affected. These people have been looking forward to the final and then for that to happen... it was heartbreaking.

"Unfortunately, there are still going to be supporters who are affected because the Millennium Stadium wouldn't do the sensible thing and issue replacement tickets."

The man arrested by Merseyside Police on Thursday was being held at an undisclosed police station on Merseyside.

Officers also found a postal uniform, CS gas canister and a machete during two raids in Infield on Thursday.