It later turned out that their FA Cup sacrifice was in vain, as FIFA suggested that their participation in the competition would have no bearing on the vote to host the 2006 World Cup, which was ultimately won by the German Football Association.
Their subsequent FA Cup concession turned out to be pointless, as FIFA stated that their participation in the tournament would not influence the outcome of the vote to host the 2006 World Cup, which was ultimately awarded to the German Football Association.