- The Associated Press
US to play Canada, Martinique in 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
MIAMI (AP) -- The United States was drawn to play Canada, Martinique and either Barbabos, Bermuda, Haiti or St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the group stage of next summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup, a tournament many top players are likely to skip.
ReutersPlayers union worried about South American qualifiers during COVID-19 crisis
The global players union FIFPRO has multiple concerns about next month's World Cup qualifiers in South America, including the high incidence of COVID-19 in the region, travel difficulties and - for those based in Europe - quarantine on their return. FIFPRO general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann told Reuters that players should be allowed to decide if they wanted to play without fear of sanctions. While both Asia and CONCACAF - the North and Central American and Caribbean regions - have postponed qualifiers until March, South America will press ahead with the opening two rounds of fixtures in October.
- The Associated Press
North American qualifying for 2022 World Cup delayed
The start of World Cup qualifying for lower-ranked teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean was postponed Tuesday until next year, which means there aren't enough remaining dates in the current FIFA calendar to complete the program. FIFA and regional soccer body CONCACAF said qualifiers that had been scheduled for October and November had to be pushed back because of travel and quarantine rules during the coronavirus pandemic.