FIFA has decided to cancel the scheduled World Cup qualifier between Argentina and Brazil after reaching a compromise with the governing bodies of the two countries.
The governing body had ordered the two countries to replay the match which was stopped just minutes after kick-off last September with Brazilian health authorities intervening, citing a violation of the COVID protocols by four Argentinian players.
FIFA initially fined both the footballing bodies and demanded the match be re-played a decision which was challenged in the Court of Arbitration for Sports. There, Brazil’s confederation and Argentina’s federation agreed to a deal to cancel the game.
Brazil’s coach Tite and his Argentina counterpart Lionel Scaloni had cited the risk of injuries and suspensions was too high for the game to be played ahead of the tournament in Qatar and had refused to field teams for the match.
The game was also rendered essentially meaningless by the fact that both the countries managed to qualify for the November tournament without needing to fight each other for points.
With the drama of the abandoned qualifier behind them, both Argentina and Brazil can schedule qualifiers ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Brazil has been placed in Group G with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon while Argentina is in Group C with Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
