Although Australia
soccer league
The Australian government has not relented in its efforts to secure the support of the Australian government to adopt a "bubble quarantine" model for the 12-team tournament that will begin in September on home soil and to seek an exemption from the 14-day quarantine requirement for people entering the country from outside the country.
soccer league
had no choice but to make the decision to forgo facing China on home soil. Although Australia
soccer league
The final choice of home ground has not yet been announced, but indications are that the match could be held in Doha or Dubai. This suggests that the Chinese team will have to travel to West Asia for the first round of the 12-team tournament.
Australia
soccer league
The application was not approved by the Government
Since the results of the Top 12 grouping were revealed, China
soccer league
The choice of home ground for the Australian team has been closely monitored. In fact, China's group of Japan, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam have all announced their home stadiums, and at least the first two rounds of matches in September have been finalized, the only Australia
soccer league
There has been a delay in releasing the information. Although there had been rumors that Australia would face China on Sept. 1 at Sydney's Banks West Stadium (home of the Western Sydney Wanderers), this was only an internet rumor. As Australia is China's first opponent, China
soccer league
It has also been working with the Australian
soccer league
Stay close.
However, as recently as August 6, the Australian
soccer league
A letter has been sent to the AFC informing them that they will not be able to play the first round of matches on home soil. The Australian media, News Corp, also released an official message on the evening of the 6th, saying that the Australia-China game will "lose the home field advantage". The report said: "Although Australia
soccer league
Negotiations now continue with the federal government as well as local state governments, but the
soccer league
It has been acknowledged that there is no guarantee that the 'bubble' method of travel, which allows players who play overseas to be exempt from the two-week quarantine when they return to Australia, will be possible. That means the Sept. 2 match will have to be played in the Middle East in Asia."
In fact, it confirms the speculation in the reporter's report the day before. In Australia, the Olympic champion also need to isolate the 12 strong match can still play at home? An article has pointed out that just finished the Tokyo
the Olympics
All Australian athletes in competitive sports are also required to enter a government-designated quarantine hotel for 14 days upon their return to Australian territory, even those who have won gold medals. Under these circumstances, it would be unthinkable for the Australian national team to compete on home soil.
Home base in Europe rejected, West Asia preferred
It is understood that Australia
soccer league
While efforts are being made to negotiate with government departments to seek special authorization, alternatives are also being implemented. Australia
soccer league
Initially had hoped that the home stadium in Europe, because the team will play the 12 strong probability of the team will play in Europe players, hoping to facilitate the players to return to the team to participate in the game, but this program was firmly opposed by the AFC. After all, the 12 strong tournament by the AFC is responsible for, if you choose the Middle East as the venue, can only choose the AFC member associations under the seat. Therefore, Australia
soccer league
has successively cooperated with the United Arab Emirates
soccer league
Qatar
soccer league
etc. get in touch. Unsurprisingly, Australia's home ground will be in Dubai, UAE or Doha, Qatar.
"Our home games in September will have to be played away from home, which will be a big disadvantage from a competitive sporting point of view." Australia
soccer league
CEO, Chief Executive Officer
James (name)
-Johnson told Australia's News Corp, "At this level of the game, if you look at the home results versus the away results, you know the decisive effect that playing at home has in that - it's almost equivalent to having an extra man on the pitch. That will be our biggest challenge at this stage."
Johnson said Australia
soccer league
Further consultations will continue with government departments and it is hoped that when the outbreak improves in Australia, particularly in New South Wales, the Australian team will be allowed to play on home soil, i.e., enjoying the benefit of home ground when they play Oman at home in October and Saudi Arabia at home in November. "If we can get the outbreak under control, especially in Sydney, I am confident we will be able to play on home soil. We have already consulted with government departments about implementing a similar approach, as some other countries have done, so that our sports teams can play on home soil. Of course, this should be done using a strict bubble-type quarantine method where the players will not interact with anyone in the community and there will be zero transmission of the outbreak virus. Players will be tested on a daily basis in their respective club teams and will be supervised on a daily basis as well, in effect, they are already in a bubble quarantine."
Now, Australia's head coach Arnold is stranded in Dubai after the Aussie team's victory in the Tokyo
the Olympics
After being eliminated from the group stage of the men's soccer tournament, he flew directly from Tokyo to Dubai. He will also remain in Dubai for some time to come, rather than return to Australia for a two-week quarantine. "It's probably tougher for Arnold. The match against China is less than four weeks away, so there is no longer time for him to return to Australia for two weeks of quarantine before traveling overseas."
national soccer team
Go to West Asia for the second round or choose West Asia.
Although Australia
soccer league
It is not yet clear where the September 2 match will eventually be held, but the current situation suggests that the choice of Doha, Qatar, is relatively more likely. This is because of the reality that Dubai in the UAE hardly has any air-conditioned stadiums due to the rather hot weather conditions in West Asia after September, while Doha is preparing for the
World Cup
Several air-conditioned stadiums have been built. Most of the Australian players play for European clubs, and if they travel to Dubai from Europe, they will hardly be able to adapt to the high temperature and humidity of the local climate. But with the air-conditioned stadiums in Doha, it is obviously favorable for the players to play. Even though the matches are played on empty pitches, at least the players will be able to play properly in the air-conditioned stadiums.
Once that happens, it means that China
national soccer team
After completing the Top 40, the team will once again travel to West Asia for the first round of the Top 12. After experiencing the high temperature and high humidity of the June 40 tournament, I believe that if they continue to play in the UAE, the international players will be better adapted than in June, and even more adapted than the Australian players. If they traveled to Doha, the situation would be relatively better because of the air-conditioned stadium.
In the process, however, China
national soccer team
There may be one more issue to consider: how to return home to face Japan on Sept. 7 after playing Australia on Sept. 2nd. Returning home from West Asia, regardless of location, will present a problem of jet lag, and the journey will also take around 10 hours or so. This is undoubtedly a huge challenge. And, given the current situation in the country in terms of preventing and combating epidemics, it is still to be confirmed whether or not they will be able to successfully play the Top 12 match at home.
If the Australian team finally confirms that they will play their home matches in West Asia, the Chinese team can actually consider playing their first home match against Japan on September 7 in West Asia as well. On the one hand, now the domestic epidemic has rebounded, it is not yet confirmed whether the game can be successfully played at home; on the other hand, the Chinese team if the successive games in West Asia can be able to wait for a long time, the final two rounds of matches between the time interval is relatively short, the choice of West Asia can also be avoided by the impact of the journey, and the second round of the opponents of the Japanese team in the second round of the September 2 home games with Oman, if the West Asia to meet China, the time difference and the actual problem of the journey, which is more or less the same. If they go to West Asia to face the Chinese team after the second round match against Oman at home on September 2, they will need to face the actual problem of jet lag and traveling, which is more or less able to have an impact on the China
national soccer team
A little bit more favorable. Of course, in October and November, China
national soccer team
The option to return to a real home ground to face the opponent at home is also in line with the AFC's rule of "one home ground per month".
