The Socceroos is not going to compete on the Copa America this yr resulting from a scheduling battle with their 2022 World Cup qualifying marketing campaign.
Australia had been set to make their debut on the continental match, which might be hosted by Argentina and Colombia in June and July, as considered one of two visitor nations together with Qatar.
Nonetheless, vital modifications to the Socceroos’ street to Qatar 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic have pressured Soccer Australia’s hand, with the Asian Soccer Confederation shifting ahead some worldwide dates.
The Socceroos’ subsequent World Cup qualifier is about to be away to Nepal on March 30 earlier than their second-round marketing campaign continues in June – with Australia tipped to host the remaining three matches involving Graham Arnold’s males on house soil.
Soccer Australia CEO James Johnson expressed his remorse that the Socceroos gained’t function on the forty seventh version of the CONMEBOL showpiece – a match that the group had been invited to in 2019.
“It’s with nice disappointment that Australia can’t function on the Copa America in 2021,” Johnson mentioned in a Soccer Australia assertion.
“Regrettably, the worldwide soccer calendar, together with our FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification schedule, has been considerably disrupted over the previous 12 months by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On behalf of the Australian soccer neighborhood, I wish to thank CONMEBOL for his or her heat invitation to the match, in addition to their continued dialogue concerning our participation over the previous yr.
“We’d additionally prefer to thank AFC and FIFA which supported our invitation to the match.”
Socceroos coach Arnold, who beforehand mentioned Australia must knock again the Copa invitation if it clashes with World Cup qualification matches, echoed Johnson’s sentiments.
“The Socceroos’ gamers and workers had been vastly wanting ahead to the distinctive alternative of enjoying within the Copa America and it’s unlucky that, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we might be unable to attend in 2021,” Arnold mentioned.
“On behalf of the group I thank CONMEBOL for the invitation, which might have offered our group with a improbable alternative to check itself towards among the world’s greatest.”
The Copa America, the oldest match in worldwide soccer, was postponed in 2020 resulting from coronavirus and is because of be hosted in two nations for the primary time.
With the Socceroos and Qatar unable to be concerned at this yr’s occasion, CONMEBOL spokesman Ariel Ramirez mentioned different nationwide groups had already expressed curiosity in changing them.
“There’s a calendar challenge that stopped Australia and Qatar, however we have now already seen curiosity from different nationwide groups to play as friends of their place,” Ramirez advised Related Press.
“We wish to have 12 groups.”
Though he added that the Copa America could be performed with the standard 10 groups if required.
The match is scheduled to kick off in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 11 and finish with the ultimate in Barranquilla, Colombia on July 10.
© AAP
