World Cup and Olympic qualifying matches have forced Bermuda Football Association to rearrange a host of local games and extend the domestic season until the end of April.

The BFA yesterday released a revised schedule for the last three months of the season, with matches switched around so as not to clash with the World Cup and Olympic fixtures which begin next month.

The first round of World Cup qualifying against British Virgin Islands is on March 5 and 19 while the Olympic team begin their qualifying rounds in Panama on April 5 and 7. And from February 15-24 both the senior and under-23 teams will travel to Orlando, Florida for 10 days of playing and training in preparation for their international commitments.

The revised schedule takes effect this weekend with the eagerly awaited FA Cup quarter-final matches now put back until next month.

The first two cup matches will now take place on Tuesday, March 7, at St.

John's field where Devonshire Colts meet MR Onions and Dandy Town play Vasco.

Two days later North Village play Lobster Pot and Young Men's Social Club meet Southampton Rangers in another double-header at Devonshire Rec.

Premier Division games scheduled for next weekend have been brought forward one week, with matches set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday of this weekend.

The season was originally due to close on April 2 and 9 with the Friendship and Shield finals and then the FA Cup final, but teams will be involved right up to April 30 when the FA Cup final will now be played.

"As a result of this busy international schedule, it has become necessary that we revise the remainder of the league and cup schedule in order to produce minimum interruption to the squads who are representing Bermuda,'' BFA general secretary David Sabir wrote in a release to the clubs which accompanied the new schedule.

"We have attempted to make this as equitable as possible, recognising that the changes may not agree with everyone.

"The Competitions Scheduling Committee has advised that subject to Bermuda's progress throughout the qualifying rounds in March, it may be necessary to make a final adjustment to the schedule to complete the end of the season.'' All teams are asked to collect copies of the revised schedule from the BFA office as soon as possible.