Al Wahda could miss AFC Champions League after suspected COVID-19 case

LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA / AFP

Members of the Abu Dhabi-based football club Al Wahda will not be able to travel abroad for the AFC Champions League group stage matches after a suspected case of COVID-19 infection within the team.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, all those who came into close contact have been placed in a 14-day quarantine.

Al Wahda are currently second in their group and are scheduled to play Iran’s Esteghlal on Monday, followed by three more games later this month, but their quarantine period overlaps with the match days.

The UAE Football Association (FA) said it has received a letter from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) indicating that Al Wahda's request to postpone its group stage matches has been transferred to the AFC's specialised committees.

@AbuDhabiSC, with @DOHsocial & @adphc_ae, applies precautionary & preventative measures after a suspected case of infection with Covid-19 among Al Wahda Club’s staff. Those in close contact were placed on a 14-day quarantine, with testing to be conducted as per approved protocol

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) September 10, 2020

Accordingly, the team will not be able to travel to participate in the AFC Champions League in order to complete the quarantine period, which overlaps with the tournament’s matches

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) September 10, 2020

بيان صحفي .. pic.twitter.com/9H92fz7hzG

— UAEFA (@uaefa_ae) September 10, 2020