Persatuan Sepakbola Seluruh Indonesia (PSSI), the national football association of Indonesia, has stated that all 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers ties which was to be played in March and June 2020 will be moved due to coronavirus outbreak.
According to PSSI’s official website, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup Joint-Qualifiers second round fixtures which were to be played in March have been pushed to October and the ties which were to be played in June have been rescheduled for November.
As a result, Indonesia’s match against hosts Thailand, which was scheduled for March 26, will now be played on October 8 while their home match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which was originally to be held on March 31 will now take place on October 13.
“Timnas kita telah melakukan persiapan pada bulan lalu. Tapi kita sama-sama memaklumi perkembangan terakhir yang secara langsung maupun tidak berpengaruh pada aktivitas persepakbolaan. Bagaimanapun, kemanusiaan ada di atas segalanya,” kata Iriawan.https://t.co/kEgiICQsE2
— PSSI (@PSSI) March 5, 2020
According to the Indonesian association, Shin Tae-yong’s side will now travel to Vietnam to take on the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup champions in their final World Cup Qualifiers tie on November 12, instead of the previous date of June 4.
PSSI chief Mochamad Iriawan said that the PSSI had received a letter from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conveying decisions taken during the emergency meeting held on March 2 during which it was proposed to postpone the World Cup Qualifiers fixtures in Asia.
“Our national team began preparations last month. The current plan is to come together again in mid-March.But we understand the latest developments in the world, which directly or indirectly affect the activities of football. Humanity is above all,” Iriawan said.
(Photo credit: PSSI)