North American qualifying for 2022 World Cup delayed

start of World Cup qualifying for lower-ranked teams in rth and Central America was postponed Tuesday until next year, which means re aren't eugh remaining dates in current FIFA calendar to complete program.

FIFA and regional soccer body CONCACAF said qualifiers that h been scheduled for October and vember h to be pushed back because of travel and quarantine rules during coronavirus pandemic.

“Many parts of region continue to have very challenging public health situations, and that has been a key factor in this decision,” two governing bodies said in a joint statement.

Thirty lower-ranked nations were due to play four qualifiers each this year but those games should w start in March 2021. Only three of those teams will vance to join United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Honduras in a final eight-team group, from which three teams will qualify directly for 2022 tournament in Qatar.

However, it was unclear how FIFA and CONCACAF will reschedule games. final eight-team group h been scheduled to start in June, but those dates could w be needed to complete six-team playoffs among lower-ranked nations. If so, big teams like U.S. and Mexico may t play ir first qualifying games until September 2021.

CONCACAF said a new schedule “will be communicated in due course.”

pandemic has upended qualifying plans globally.

South American teams were due to begin in March but will start at least one year behind schedule.

CONCACAF alrey changed its original format which would have seen top-ranked teams play in a six-team group, kwn as hexagonal.

FIFA mans a coordinated global calendar of match days, for which clubs are obliged to release ir players to national-team duty.

Im credits: AP