The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) has launched an appeal against Fifa’s decision to reject its bid to become a member.

The world governing body has refused to recognise Gibraltar on the grounds that it is not an independent country, the Fifa president Sepp Blatter announced at a press conference in Zurich on Friday.

The British overseas territory was admitted to Uefa last year after winning an appeal to the court of arbitration for sport (Cas) and made its competitive debut earlier this month in a 7-0 defeat to Poland in a Euro 2016 qualifier.

Now the GFA has submitted an appeal against Fifa’s decision to Cas.

“The Gibraltar Football Association is extremely disappointed that once again political issues are being allowed to interfere with and take precedence over sporting considerations,” read a statement.

“Unfortunately this is a decision that, at this stage, the Gibraltar FA expected and as a result, the Gibraltar FA is already nonetheless engaged in preparing its case for admission to Fifawith the court of arbitration for sport, (Cas), in Lausanne Switzerland.”