Club sides from Azerbaijan have been thrown out of the European club competitions next season after their domestic season ended in farce.

The Azeri Soccer Federation (ASF) had feared the ban would extend to their national side.

But Uefa spokesman Mike Lee told BBC Wales Sport on Tuesday that Azerbaijan would be allowed to play in group nine as planned.

The threat of a ban arose after the AST refused to recognise the championship after 10 of the 11 premier division clubs quit the competition to form their own breakaway league.

The breakaway clubs accused the ASF of corrupting the game and its president Fuad Musayev of fuelling internal squabbles.

Talks were held between the two sides last month to try to find a solution to the problem, but no agreement was reached.

Azerbaijan were drawn in qualifying group nine of the 2004 European Championship, along with Wales, Italy, Yugoslavia and Finland.

Wales are scheduled to play Azerbaijan away on November 20 and at home in Cardiff on March 29, 2003.