(Reuters) - Australia and Qatar, the two non-South American sides due to take part in this year’s Copa America, have pulled out of the tournament, the secretary general of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Tuesday. The two teams were set to join 10 others from South America in the tournament, which will be hosted by Argentina and Colombia in June and July. “Qatar and Australia will not come to play in the Copa America,” Gonzalo Belloso told Argentine radio station Radio Red. “The Socceroos’ players and staff were greatly looking forward to the unique opportunity of playing in the Copa America and it is unfortunate that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be unable to attend in 2021,” Australia’s head coach Graham Arnold said. A CONMEBOL source told Reuters they will look at the possibility of inviting two other teams to replace Australia and Qatar but the tournament will go ahead regardless, with 10 or 12 sides.

Source: Egypt Today February 23, 2021 21:45 UTC