CAS orders FIFA to admit Gibraltaltar

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ordered FIFA to accept the Gibraltar soccer federation as its 210th member.

CAS says it upheld Gibraltar's appeal against FIFA blocking admission, but its panel of judges could not directly grant membership.

The ruling means Gibraltar should now be fast-tracked into a 2018 World Cup qualifying group which kicks off in September.

CAS says FIFA "shall take all necessary measures to admit the Gibraltar Football Association as a full member of FIFA without delay."

That means FIFA's ruling council is "ordered to transmit" Gibraltar's application to the congress of 209 members which meets next week in Mexico City.

It's a second victory for Gibraltar at CAS, after a previous ruling meant it could join UEFA in 2013.