A COVID-19 case among Tigers FC players last week has forced organisers to postpone their FFA Cup match.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The call to postpone the round-of-32 match came 48 hours out from kick-off.
Tigers FC were due to play their already-postponed cup game against Sydney's APIA Leichhardt on Wednesday night at Viking Park.
It's understood the Tigers played a trial match against fellow NPL side O'Connor Knights last Wednesday at the AIS - one of three they undertook in preparation for the cup - and the next day a player became visited an exposure site and later tested positive for COVID.
MORE IN CANBERRA SPORT:
- 'It's a miracle': Matildas star to reunite with daughter, wife after six months
- From Canberra United to the commentary box for Gill
- 'It's devastating': Eight Paralympic events culled for Paris 2024
- Roestbakken continues her journey back to 90 minutes
- 'The skinnier the better': Aussie swim team's Beijing food shaming incident
Football Australia announced the delay on Monday.
"Due to a COVID-19-related matter, Football Australia, together with the participating clubs and Capital Football, will work to reschedule the match in early December," a press release said.
"Football Australia will provide an updated match date and kick-off time for this fixture as soon as possible."
The Canberra Times understands players were notified of the positive case on Sunday and Monday.
The Tigers match now joins two other round-of-32 games without kick-off dates.
It's the second time the fixture has had to be postponed, after the Delta strain of COVID forced widespread lockdowns, with the ACT postponing it a first time in August.
The cup's finals series was broken into regions in 2021 in a bid to prevent delayed fixtures, but COVID cases and border closures have still caused headaches for the competition.
Cooma was just rediscovering its match fitness after returning to the training park last month following a three-month hiatus.
The winner of the postponed ACT fixture is set to face A-League Men's club Western Sydney Wanderers in the next round.
FA has repeatedly stated it remains committed to playing all cup fixtures, however, it's up against a late December deadline to crown a winner in time for the AFC Champions League.
Although the Tigers had yet to kick-off their finals campaign, the cup's delayed finals series recommenced on September 14, some 692 days since the 2019 FFA Cup final.
Tigers were contacted for comment.
- A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the player was infectious during the trial match at the AIS.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
