The Oceania Football Confederation can confirm that due to a number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the Vanuatu and Cook Islands squads, Match Day 3 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Oceania Qualifiers will not go ahead.
As a result of the vast majority of the squad testing positive to COVID-19, Vanuatu have informed FIFA of their withdrawal from the tournament.
In addition to the Vanuatu withdrawal there are a number of Cook Islands players who have tested positive to COVID-19 and they can not field a team on Match Day 3.
Cook Islands had been scheduled to play Tahiti on March 20 and Vanuatu had been schedule to play the Solomon Islands on March 20.
The Vanuatu decision follows tests conducted on March 17, 2022 that revealed positive cases of COVID-19 in the majority of Vanuatu’s team, ahead of their match against Tahiti in Doha.
In line with the applicable protocol and given the seven-day quarantine requirement, the Vanuatu Football Federation has confirmed to FIFA that it’s not in a position to play its upcoming FIFA World Cup™ qualification matches.
FIFA has forwarded the relevant details to its Disciplinary Committee. Until further notice, Vanuatu’s FIFA World Cup™ qualification matches are deemed to be abandoned.