UAE to play rest of 2022 World Cup qualifiers in October and November
The UAE will resume their 2022 World Cup qualification campaign this year, with their remaining four Group G fixtures played across October and November.
The Football Association confirmed the fixtures, postponed because of the coronavirus, following a video meeting with the Asian Football Confederation on Wednesday in consultation with Fifa.
Mohammed Hazzam Al Dhaheri, the FA general secretary, said the qualifiers will be played on October 8, 13, November 12 and 17.
Fourth in the five-team group, the UAE sit five points off leaders Vietnam, although they do have a game in hand. They have to play Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam at home, and Indonesia away. The matches were scheduled for March and June.
The FA had been waiting on confirmation of the new dates before pushing on with its search for a successor to manager Ivan Jovanovic, who was let go in March despite not taking charge of a match.
The Serbian was appointed on a six-month contract in December. It is understood there are currently four possible candidates for the role.
The future of the Asian Champions League was also discussed at Wednesday’s meeting, with the AFC committed to concluding its marquee club competition.
Postponed in March in the early group stage phase, plans are in place to complete the remaining 99 matches across West and East zones up and knockout stages up until the semi-finals between September and November.
The final would then take place in early December, leaving its winner free to participate in the Fifa Club World Cup later that month.