3 minute read

Australia will begin the next phase of World Cup qualifying at a neutral venue with confirmation the Socceroos clash with China won't be played in Sydney.

The Socceroos' road to the World Cup next year in Qatar will have to take another detour with next month's qualifier against China to be played outside Australia.

Graham Arnold's team were slated to begin the third phase of their Asian qualification route at Sydney's Bankwest Stadium on September 2.

Football Australia (FA) had been desperately lobbying the federal and NSW government to create a travel bubble for the fixture, which would have allowed overseas-based Socceroos and Chinese players and officials to travel to Australia and play the match without a two-week quarantine period.

That exemption will not be forthcoming, however, forcing FA to concede defeat and search for a neutral venue for the fixture.

No location has been finalised but a Middle East nation is the most likely destination for the match.

The Socceroos closed out the second phase of qualifying by coming through a four-game mini-tournament in Kuwait in June.

They won all of their group fixtures in that second stage, with Arnold claiming in June his team had shown a capability to perform regardless of venue.

"We are very confident and we have got a lot of belief in our boys," he said.

"We are getting used to being and playing away from home - especially playing a lot of football here in the Middle East."

The revelation means Australia last played a home fixture in October 2019 against Nepal.

After facing China, the Socceroos are set to play Vietnam in Hanoi on September 7.

The fate of future home fixtures against Oman and Saudi Arabia in October and November remain up in the air due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.