FIFA extends men’s age limit for Tokyo Olympics due to coronavirus outbreak

FIFA has extended limit for men’s soccer tournament at rescheduled Tokyo Olympics due to coronavirus pandemic.

amended Olympic rule on Friday retains “players born on or after Jan. 1, 1997” standard for Tokyo Games following a one-year postponement agreed last week by International Olympic Committee and Japanese authorities.

It means players eligible for intended under-23 tournament in 2020 can still play in Japan at 24 next year. Men’s soccer kicks off ahe of July 23, 2021 opening ceremony in Tokyo.

FIFA also postponed two women’s -group World Cups due this year in Central America and India, and confirmed international games for men and women will be played in early June dates protected for national team callups.

Soccer’s world body said “health must always be first priority and main criteria in any decision-making process, especially in se challenging times.”

Olympic decision was me by a FIFA panel of soccer officials worldwide, created to dress soccer shutdown during health crisis.

16 men’s teams at Tokyo Olympics next year can also select three over- players in ir rosters. A stellar lineup includes Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany and Spain.

Two women’s World Cup tournaments — Under-20s hosted by Panama and Costa Rica in August and September, and Under-17s in India in vember — are postponed. new dates were anunced.

Until COVID-19 outbreak, national team games scheduled in June included 2020 European Championship, World Cup qualifying games in South America and Asia, and qualifiers for 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

After Euro 2020 was postponed for one year, UEFA hoped to schedule playoff games in June to confirm last four places in a 24-nation lineup. Those playoffs were postponed indefinitely this week.

World Cup qualifiers for 2022 World Cup in Qatar w face uncertain scheduling in a congested calendar in Europe, South America and Asia.

FIFA said on Friday it would “organize bilateral discussions” with continental governing bodies “to finalize a revised match schedule pending health and safety developments.”

FIFA plans to direct hundreds of millions of dollars from its cash reserves to support a global emergency fund, and has agreed to appoint one official from each of six soccer continents to coordinate work.

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