Sports
FIFA cancels next round of internationals outside Europe
FIFA on Tuesday announced international matches will only be played in Europe in the window that opens at the end of August to reduce travel for players.
FIFA said in a statement it was replacing the period scheduled from August 31 to September 8 with a new window from January 24 to February 1 next year āfor all confederations except UEFA.ā.
This means non-European players will not have to travel to play with their national team.
FIFA said the new period in January and February had been chosen with the African Cup of Nations in mind, with āthe exact dates to be determined at a later dateā.
FIFA said its Council had decided on these calendar changes āin response to the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to plague many parts of the world.ā
It also cancelled the womenās international, scheduled for September 14-22, for all confederations except UEFA.