Asunción -
The Conmebol said on Tuesday that it is awaiting a decision from FIFA regarding a possible postponement of the start of the South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup due to the spread of the new coronavirus in the region.
The competition in South America is scheduled to start on March 26 with matches in Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. The first double matchday of the tournament would be completed with five other games on March 31.
"Facing frequent inquiries about the upcoming qualifiers, Conmebol reminds that they are a FIFA competition and that they await their decision," said the governing body of South American football, without adding further details.
FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation agreed on Monday to postpone the qualifying matches in March due to the coronavirus outbreak that originated in China.
Several sports events have been postponed or suspended in Europe, where the virus is rapidly spreading.
In South America, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Venezuela are the only countries that have not reported any cases of coronavirus.
The qualifiers qualify four teams directly for the World Cup in Qatar, while the fifth team will have to play a playoff against a team from another region.
Regarding the dispute of regional tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores or the Copa Sudamericana, Conmebol said it will "analyze each case in detail and how it affects its competitions and will follow the decisions of the health authorities, always respecting the local regulations." (D)