Fifa confirms Zambia postponement

By Kennedy Gondwe
BBC Sport, Lusaka

President Mwanawasa was the patron of Faz

Football's world governing body, Fifa, has agreed to a request from the Football Association of Zambia (Faz) for their 2010 World Cup qualifier on 6 September against Togo to be postponed.

Fifa has now agreed that the game can be played on 10 September, which is included on the international match calendar and means both countries will have all their players available.

The Zambian government had urged Faz to approach football's world governing body as the country is currently mourning the death of President Levy Mwanawasa.

The late President was also the association's patron.

Zambia initially declared a seven-day national mourning period following Mwanawasa's death in Paris on 19 August, that has now been extended to 21 days and is due to end on 9 September.

Mwanawasa, whose body is lying in state in Lusaka, will be buried on 3 September.

As part of the national mourning, Faz has already indefinitely suspended all local league action.

Zambia need to beat Togo to have a good chance of reaching for the next round of the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.