Key Takeaways:
- Brazil and Argentina lost their FIFA appeals on Monday and will now be forced to play the World Cup qualifying game in Sao Paulo, which was postponed last year due to rampant rule infractions.
- Both nations easily qualified for the World Cup as the top two teams in their 10-nation South American group even without playing the abandoned game.
Brazil and also Argentina lost their appeals to FIFA on Monday and will now have to play the World Cup qualifying game in Sao Paulo that was called off last year due to epidemic rule violations.
Last September, Brazilian health officials stepped onto the field minutes after kickoff to challenge the quarantine status of some Argentina players in one of the more strange events of the World Cup qualifying cycle.
Without playing the abandoned game, both countries easily qualified for the World Cup as the top two teams in their 10-nation South American group. They took part in the draw for the final tournament, held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18.
However, according to the most recent FIFA rule, Brazil and Argentina will have to play their essentially meaningless 18th qualifying match in September.
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It might be the competitors’ second meeting ahead of their trip to Qatar.
The soccer federations of Brazil as well as Argentina agreed to play a friendly game in Australia after the original FIFA disciplinary judgment in February, which imposed penalties, player suspensions, and an order to rerun the qualification.
The “Superclasico” will take place in Melbourne on June 11.
The two federations could take FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reverse the replay order.
FIFA reduced the fines imposed on the two federations. Brazil has now been fined 250,000 Swiss francs (US$251,000) for “violations of order and security” during the game. Argentina has been fined 100,000 Swiss francs (US$100,500) for “obligations related to the match’s preparation and participation.”
Both parties will pay 50,000 Swiss francs ($50,250) for the game’s cancellation.
Four Argentina players with Premier League clubs have been charged with fabricating coronavirus statements to enter Brazil by neglecting to indicate that they had spent the previous 14 days in red-listed Britain.
Emiliano Buendia, Emiliano Martinez, Giovani Lo Celso, and Cristian Romero received a two-match suspension from FIFA-sanctioned matches.
Argentina will face Mexico, Poland, and Saudi Arabia at the World Cup. Switzerland, Serbia, and Cameroon will all face Brazil.
Source: CTV News
