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In a high-stakes showdown, Australia and Peru are set to face off in a decisive intercontinental playoff for a coveted spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The match, scheduled for late Monday in Al Rayyan, marks a winner-takes-all encounter, contrasting with the home-and-away format of previous playoffs. Both teams have a history of securing World Cup berths through such playoffs, with Peru defeating New Zealand and Australia overcoming Honduras in 2017 to qualify for the Russia tournament. This time, only one will advance to join Group D, where France, Denmark, and Tunisia await. Peru’s coach Ricardo Gareca, who led the team to fifth place in South American qualifiers, emphasized the significance of the match, noting both teams’ extensive experience in high-pressure situations. Peru enters the game with confidence, having defeated Australia 2-0 in their only previous meeting during the 2018 World Cup. Meanwhile, Australia, fresh off a 2-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates in the Asian playoff, is banking on its resilience and fighting spirit. Coach Graham Arnold drew parallels to the historic 2005 playoff win over Uruguay, urging his team to channel their “Aussie DNA” to secure a fifth consecutive World Cup appearance. With 12,000 Peruvian fans expected to fill the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, the atmosphere promises to be electric as both nations vie for glory on the global stage.

The journey to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar begins for New Zealand and other Oceania teams as the region’s qualifying tournament is scheduled to take place in the host nation from March 14 to 30. FIFA confirmed Qatar as the neutral venue for the qualifiers, which have faced repeated delays due to COVID-19 travel and quarantine restrictions. This tournament marks the final opportunity for Oceania teams to secure a spot in the intercontinental playoffs. New Zealand, led by Burnley forward Chris Wood, is heavily favored to emerge victorious. The winner of the Oceania qualifiers will face the fourth-place team from the North American qualifying group in a playoff on June 13 or 14. Currently, Panama holds that position, closely followed by Mexico and the United States, with Canada leading the group. The Oceania qualifiers are divided into two groups: New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea in one, and Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu, and the winner of the Tonga vs. Cook Islands play-in game in the other. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the final on March 30 determining Oceania’s representative in the playoffs. Notably, Samoa and American Samoa have withdrawn from the competition. New Zealand, ranked 110th by FIFA, has played minimal competitive soccer in recent years, making this tournament a crucial test for the Kiwis.

Chelsea Football Club will need to adjust its Premier League schedule to participate in the rescheduled 2021 FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place from February 3 to 12 in the United Arab Emirates. The announcement was made by FIFA on Monday, following the completion of the seven-team lineup after Palmeiras secured the Copa Libertadores title on Saturday. Chelsea, the reigning Champions League winner, and Palmeiras will enter the tournament at the semifinal stage, competing for a spot in either the final or the third-place match. Currently, Chelsea is slated to face Brighton on February 8 and host Arsenal on February 12 in the Premier League, but these matches will now require rescheduling. In the semifinals, Chelsea will meet one of three potential opponents: Auckland City (Oceania champion), Al Jazira (UAE champion), or Al Hilal (Asian champion). Auckland City and Al Jazira will first clash in a preliminary round, with the winner advancing to face Al Hilal. Meanwhile, Palmeiras will take on either Al Ahly (African champion) or Monterrey (CONCACAF Champions League winner). The Club World Cup has faced significant disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally planned as an expanded edition in China during June and July, the tournament was postponed when the 2020 European Championship and Copa America were delayed by a year. Japan was later selected to host the traditional seven-team event in December but withdrew three months ago, citing pandemic-related travel restrictions.

In a significant shift from tradition, FIFA announced on Friday that the intercontinental playoffs for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will now feature single-leg matches at a neutral venue. This decision, driven by the ‘unprecedented disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,’ aims to streamline the qualification process and minimize the logistical challenges faced by teams. The matches, scheduled for June 13 and 14, will determine the final two participants in the tournament. While the host venue remains undisclosed, the playoffs will involve teams from Asia, South America, Oceania, and the North American region. The majority of the playoff contenders are expected to be confirmed by the end of March, with Asia’s representative to be decided just days before the intercontinental matches. This marks a departure from the two-legged format introduced in 1986, which often required extensive travel across multiple time zones. The World Cup draw is set for April 1 in Doha, with 30 of the 32 qualifiers already determined. The intercontinental playoff draw will take place on November 26, ahead of the tournament’s kickoff on November 21 and its conclusion on December 18.

Seven female taekwondo athletes who fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s resurgence have successfully resettled in Melbourne, Australia. Heather Garriock, CEO of Australian Taekwondo, confirmed on Wednesday that the athletes are currently completing their quarantine. While most of the women remain unnamed, none were slated to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. The evacuation was orchestrated through a collaborative effort involving former Australian soccer captain Craig Foster, the Australian government, Australian Taekwondo, and Oceania Taekwondo. Garriock emphasized the high-risk nature of the operation, though specific details were not disclosed. The Taliban has since declared that women will no longer be permitted to participate in sports, further underscoring the urgency of the athletes’ escape. Garriock expressed profound gratitude to the Australian government and Oceania Taekwondo for their pivotal roles in ensuring the women’s safety. ‘The lives of these women were in danger,’ she stated. ‘As a sport, we needed to pull together and do something to help.’ One of the athletes, Fatima Ahmadi, shared her relief and gratitude, saying, ‘I feel so good about arriving in Australia. We are safe here without any danger.’ The resettlement of these athletes follows a broader trend of Afghan female athletes, including members of the women’s soccer team, receiving visas to live in Australia. The Taliban’s return to power in mid-August has led to the erosion of women’s rights across Afghanistan, with many being barred from employment in both public and private sectors.

In a commanding display of skill and strategy, Fiji’s men’s rugby sevens team and New Zealand’s women’s side emerged undefeated at the Oceania Sevens tournament, the final major preparatory event before the Tokyo Olympics. Held in Townsville, Australia, the tournament saw Fiji’s men secure a flawless record, including a decisive 33-5 victory over the Oceania Barbarians and a 17-7 win against New Zealand. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s women’s team maintained their dominance with six consecutive wins, defeating Fiji 27-12 and overpowering Australia twice with scores of 34-5 and 26-5. Despite playing on home soil, Australia’s women’s team struggled, finishing with a 3-3 record. Head coach John Manenti acknowledged the team’s efforts, stating, ‘We worked really hard and made them work hard for their tries… we asked a few questions to them and probably should have asked a couple more.’ The tournament served as a critical warm-up for the upcoming Olympics, where 12 teams will compete in both the men’s and women’s rugby sevens events. The men’s tournament will run from July 26-28, followed by the women’s from July 29-31, with all matches taking place at Tokyo Stadium, a venue familiar to rugby fans after hosting key matches during the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Former Wallabies center Samu Kerevi has made a significant move by returning from Japan to pursue a place in Australia’s rugby sevens team for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. The 27-year-old midfielder, who has previously played 33 tests for Australia, including a prominent role in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, has been included in the squad for the Oceania Championship in Townsville, Queensland. The tournament, scheduled for June 25-27, will feature matches against Olympic champion Fiji, New Zealand, and an Oceania Barbarians team. Kerevi’s inclusion marks his first selection in the sevens format, alongside the return of Lewis Holland, Lachlan Anderson, and Tim Anstee from their Super Rugby commitments. Head coach Tim Walsh emphasized Kerevi’s potential as an impact player, citing his powerful ball-running and tackling abilities. Despite his lack of experience in sevens rugby, Kerevi has been training rigorously, even during his two-week quarantine, to adapt to the faster-paced game. Walsh noted that Kerevi’s presence has already elevated the team’s dynamics, though no guarantees have been made regarding his Olympic selection. The Oceania Championship will serve as a crucial preparatory event for the Tokyo Olympics, where the men’s rugby sevens tournament begins on July 26. This will be Fiji’s first competition in over a year due to COVID-19 restrictions, while New Zealand recently hosted a series with Australian sevens teams. The women’s tournament will also feature Australia’s Olympic champion squad, New Zealand, and Fiji, providing a final opportunity for teams to fine-tune their strategies ahead of the Games.

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to make history as the first-ever tournament co-hosted by two nations from different confederations—Australia and New Zealand. Spanning nine cities across the two countries, the event will kick off at Auckland’s iconic Eden Park and culminate with the final at Sydney’s Stadium Australia. The semifinals will be divided between the two host nations, reflecting a format previously seen in events like the 2015 Cricket World Cup, which was also jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. This groundbreaking tournament will feature an expanded lineup of 32 teams, up from 24 in the 2019 edition held in France, where the U.S. women’s national team emerged as champions. FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized the event’s potential to inspire and transform women’s football globally, building on the success of the 2019 tournament. The host cities and stadiums include Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium, Brisbane Stadium, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, and Wellington’s Te Whanganui-a-Tara-Wellington Stadium, among others. The full schedule is expected to be announced later this year, following an eight-month selection process involving member federations from both countries.