Participation in regional tourneys depend on border access

PAPUA New Guinea Football Association general secretary Dimirit Mileng says the country’s participation in upcoming regional tournaments and championships will depend on access granted by nations.
He made the comments following yesterday’s postponement of three Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The men’s OFC Under-19 Championship, that was scheduled to be played in Samoa in July, will not be held before October but no later than January.
The top-two teams from this tournament will earn a place at next year’s Fifa U20 World Cup in Indonesia.
The Champions League quarterfinals have been postponed until September at the earliest and OFC remains in regular contact with the eight clubs that have qualified for the knockout stages. The winner of the Champions League will represent OFC at the Fifa Club World Cup that is scheduled to be played in Qatar in December.
Potential new dates for the OFC U19 Championship and Champions League will be reviewed on July 31 when governments in the Pacific have provided more information on border restrictions and sports activities.
The OFC U17 Women’s Championship was meant to be played in Tahiti in April, following a previous delay from December due to the measles epidemic in the Pacific; a further decision regarding that tournament will be made on June 2.
“Any travel overseas depends largely on countries opening their borders to allow international transits,” Mileng said.
“We all know Papua New Guinea does not have direct flights out of Port Moresby to any destination, but we travel through a second country before reaching our destination.
“Even if our borders are open, would you be able to travel if restrictions are still in place?
“PNG is still waiting on what is decided at the OFC level.
“The situation is still fluid.”
On March 9, OFC suspended all of its football activities in the Pacific until at least May 6.