Wales' World Cup play-off showdown with Austria will go ahead for this month as planned, even though Scotland versus Ukraine has been postponed until June.
The sell-out semi-final clash takes place at Cardiff City Stadium on March 24, it has been agreed, after Wales were locked in talks with FIFA on the best way forward.
Scotland and Ukraine were scheduled to meet at Hampden Park on the same night, but that game has been delayed until the summer after the Ukrainian FA applied for a postponement following the Russian invasion of their country.
It means that Wales' hoped-for play-off final against the winner of that pair, due to go ahead in Cardiff on March 29, will be put back.
Whoever emerges victorious from that final shootout will go to the World Cup in Qatar.
If Wales can edge past Austria in the semis, it is unclear exactly when in June their final would be played and thus their World Cup fate decided.
FIFA held a virtual meeting on Monday with FAW chief executive Noel Mooney and his counterparts at Scotland, Ukraine and Austria to discuss the matter and the best way to proceed.
The FAW has confirmed that tickets already purchased for the match on 29 March will remain valid for the rearranged play-off final.
In a statement, FIFA said: "The match between Scotland and Ukraine, initially scheduled for 24 March 2022, will now be postponed to the existing June window, and consequently, the match between the winners of Scotland v. Ukraine and Wales v. Austria will also be postponed to the same window.
"It was further agreed that the match between Wales and Austria will remain as scheduled on 24 March 2022, owing to the need to limit the disruption to the competitive matches already scheduled for the June window in what is an already congested calendar.
"Alternative fixtures for affected teams in the March window are being explored by the relevant parties. Similarly, the details of the rescheduled fixtures will be announced in due course and the international match calendar window of June will be adapted as necessary for the teams concerned once these details have been finalised."
Part of the thought process involved the two semi-final winners having the same five day turnaround time to prepare for the play-off final, but that won't be possible any more.
It means Wales' star players may need to put planned summer breaks on hold.
As things stand, the World Cup draw is still due to take place on April 1, but clearly whoever qualifies out of Wales, Austria, Scotland and the Ukraine will not be known at that stage.
It is unclear how that would affect seedings, with FIFA taking the rankings into account.
The other 31 participants will be known by that stage.
Russia will not be there due to their exclusion from FIFA competitions, with Poland now set to receive a bye to the final of Path B due to take place on 29 March 2022, where they will face the winners of the match between Sweden and the Czech Republic.
In a statement of their own confirming the news, the FAW said: "Ukraine’s request to postpone their play-off semi-final against Scotland on the same evening has been granted by FIFA.
"The FAW supports FIFA’s decision in this matter and stands in solidarity with Ukraine and reiterates its condemnation for the use of force and the atrocities being committed by Russia."
Scottish FA president Rod Petrie said: “Football is inconsequential amid conflict. We have offered to support our Ukrainian colleagues' preparations as best we can in these unimaginably difficult circumstances.”
The World Cup finals take place between November 21 and December 18, with Wales seeking to get there for the first time since the John Charles Class of 1958.
Wales will be without star striker Kieffer Moore for the Austria game because of an ankle injury, with Tyler Roberts also ruled out after injuring his hamstring playing for Leeds against Leicester at the weekend.
Midfield kingpin Aaron Ramsey is seeking to prove his fitness, having not featured for new club Rangers since February 17.
Wales captain and talisman Gareth Bale also needs game time behind him, having not played for Real Madrid since February 12.
