The nation were suspended by FIFA in January after sports minister Abdelkader Sangare sacked the executive committee of the Guinea Football Federation. It followed the team being held at home by Malawi in a World Cup qualifier.

Sangare and the Guinean government then ignored three deadlines for the executive committee to be restored and it left FIFA with no choice but to eliminate them from the qualifying competition.

Sangare had organised new elections in February but FIFA refused to recognise the transition of power. World football's controlling body has taken a strong stance in recent years against government interference in the sport.

Football in the country is now in disarray. The Confederation of African Football threw Guinea out of the Nations' Cup and removed the results of their previous qualifying matches against Senegal, Togo and Uganda.

Last month their Under 17 team were not allowed to play in the final of the African championships in the Seychelles because of the FIFA suspension.

No decision has yet been taken on the future of Group E in the African qualifying section. One thing for sure is that the decision all but hands a place in next year's showpiece to South Africa.

Zimbabwe are the only nation who can harbour hopes of overhauling the Bafana Bafana.

Greece are also under pressure from FIFA to get their house in order, although officials deny they have any case to answer.

They have threatened to throw Greece out of international competitions such as the World Cup if the government does not stop interfering in domestic football before the end of the month. The warning came in a letter sent to Greek soccer chiefs on Tuesday by FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen.

Greece are currently playing in European World Cup qualifying Group Nine with England, Germany, Finland and Albania.

'After careful study FIFA has concluded that there has in the past, and continues to be government interference in the workings of EPO (Greek football association),' said the FIFA statement released by the Greek football authorities.

The warning was given after David Will, vice-president of FIFA's executive committee, completed a 48-hour round of discussions with both sides last week in Athens.

The Greek government has been told to stop interfering in the game by March 31. FIFA singles out a 1999 sports law as the root cause of disputes between the Greek sports ministry and EPO, and demands an amendment of the legislation to be prepared no later than April 25.

The sleeze certainly didn't stop there. Albania coach Medin Zhega on Wednesday said allegations by defender Clirim Bashi that he had been told to pay cash to be selected for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Germany were untrue.

Bashi, who plays for German Second Division side Alemannia Aachen, alleged he was left out of the team after brushing off a bid to extort £3,200 from him by an unnamed third party, the Cologne newspaper Express had reported.

'Nothing of this is true,' Zhega was quoted as saying by German sports news agency SID. 'The allegations are simply wrong.'

Zhega said 30-year-old Bashi never belonged to his core pool of players.

Back on the pitch, Palestine closed the gap on leaders Qatar to three points at the top of Group Three of Asia's World Cup qualifying tournament after a 1-0 win over Hong Kong.

Qatar were held to a 0-0 draw by Malaysia, meaning Palestine, competing in the World Cup for the first time since 1938, are just one win behind the 2000 Asian Cup finalists.

Fadi Abulatifa scored in the 58th minute to give Palestine their second win in four games, moving them to seven points.

Qatar held on to top spot but lost their 100 per cent record. The home side dominated the opening period but were unable to find the back of the net.

Qatar and Palestine play each other on Friday night in a game which should decide the destiny of the group. The group winner will progress to the final stage of Asian qualifying.

It's an incredibly busy week of action coming up, with action in every federation apart from Africa.

There are two rounds of games in Europe, with Sven Goran Eriksson getting his World Cup debut with England against Finland and Albania in Group Nine.

The top two teams clash in Group One with Russia entertaining Slovenia, while Yugoslavia's campaign will finally get going in earnest with matches against Switzerland and Slovenia.

In Group Two, Holland, currently placed next to bottom, need to get their qualification bid going against Andorra before they face a massively important trip to Portugal on Wednesday.

The Republic of Ireland, who also have big hopes for 2002, should get maximum points from trips to Cyprus and Andorra.

The biggest game in Group Three is on Wednesday when the top two meet - Denmark travel to the Czech Republic. And there's another top-of-the-table clash in Group Four as Turkey entertain Slovakia.

If Norway are to stand any chance of making the Finals they simply have to win their home game against Group Five leaders Poland and their game in Belarus.

Belgium and Scotland, who meet over the weekend, are battling at the head of Group Six, with Croatia badly needing to record some good results this week or face early elimination.

Group Seven should be a walk in the park for perennial qualification specialists Spain. Their only game this week is at home to little Liechtenstein, while nearest challengers Israel travel to Austria.

Finally in Europe, Italy's domination of Group Eight will receive a severe test in Romania before they play host to Lithuania on Wednesday.

In South America, the pick of the games should see Argentina take another step towards qualification with victory over whipping boys Venezuela, while Brazil's ever-improving campaign faces a test at fourth place Ecuador.

Finally, the north Central and North American nations continue their battle with the second round of games in the Final Stage of CONCACAF.

Full Fixutre list:

Mar 23 - Asia - Hong Kong v Malaysia
Mar 23 - Asia - Qatar v Palestine

Mar 24 - UEFA - Andorra v Netherlands
Mar 24 - UEFA - Armenia v Wales
Mar 24 - UEFA - Azerbaijan v Moldova
Mar 24 - UEFA - Bosnia-Herzegovina v Austria
Mar 24 - UEFA - Bulgaria v Iceland
Mar 24 - UEFA - Croatia v Latvia
Mar 24 - UEFA - Cyprus v Irish Republic
Mar 24 - UEFA - England v Finland
Mar 24 - UEFA - Germany v Albania
Mar 24 - UEFA - Hungary v Lithuania
Mar 24 - UEFA - Luxembourg v Faroe Islands
Mar 24 - UEFA - Malta v Denmark
Mar 24 - UEFA - Northern Ireland v Czech Republic
Mar 24 - UEFA - Norway v Poland
Mar 24 - UEFA - Romania v Italy
Mar 24 - UEFA - Russia v Slovenia
Mar 24 - UEFA - Scotland v Belgium
Mar 24 - UEFA - Spain v Liechtenstein
Mar 24 - UEFA - Sweden v Macedonia FYR
Mar 24 - UEFA - Turkey v Slovakia
Mar 24 - UEFA - Ukraine v Belarus
Mar 24 - UEFA - Yugoslavia v Switzerland
Mar 24 - CONCACAF - Costa Rica v Trinidad & Tobago

Mar 25 - CONCACAF - Mexico v Jamaica
Mar 25 - Asia - Hong Kong v Qatar
Mar 25 - Asia - Malaysia v Palestine

Mar 27 - CONMEBOL - Colombia v Bolivia
Mar 27 - CONMEBOL - Peru v Chile

Mar 28 - CONMEBOL - Argentina v Venezuela
Mar 28 - CONMEBOL - Ecuador v Brazil
Mar 28 - CONMEBOL - Uruguay v Paraguay
Mar 28 - CONCACAF - Honduras v United States
Mar 28 - UEFA - Albania v England
Mar 28 - UEFA - Andorra v Irish Republic
Mar 28 - UEFA - Austria v Israel
Mar 28 - UEFA - Belarus v Norway
Mar 28 - UEFA - Bulgaria v Northern Ireland
Mar 28 - UEFA - Cyprus v Estonia
Mar 28 - UEFA - Czech Republic v Denmark
Mar 28 - UEFA - Georgia v Romania
Mar 28 - UEFA - Greece v Germany
Mar 28 - UEFA - Italy v Lithuania
Mar 28 - UEFA - Liechtenstein v Bosnia-Herzegovina
Mar 28 - UEFA - Macedonia FYR v Turkey
Mar 28 - UEFA - Moldova v Sweden
Mar 28 - UEFA - Poland v Armenia
Mar 28 - UEFA - Portugal v Netherlands
Mar 28 - UEFA - Russia v Faroe Islands
Mar 28 - UEFA - Scotland v San Marino
Mar 28 - UEFA - Slovakia v Azerbaijan
Mar 28 - UEFA - Slovenia v Yugoslavia
Mar 28 - UEFA - Switzerland v Luxembourg
Mar 28 - UEFA - Wales v Ukraine