Coronavirus: FIFA postpones South American qualifiers

FIFA has confirmed this month’s South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

CONMEBOL had requested the postponement of games including Brazil v Bolivia and Argentina v Ecuador due to the pandemic, which has claimed nearly 5,000 lives worldwide.

In a statement released on Thursday, FIFA indicated a decision has not yet been made over when the two rounds of qualifiers, which were set for March 23-31, will be played.

“FIFA will continue to assess the situation in relation to COVID-19 and will decide whether further changes to the schedule of South American FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers are required, always with the aim of protecting the health and safety of all individuals involved,” the body said.

CONMEBOL has also confirmed a temporary suspension of the Libertadores due to the COVID-19 pandemic.