How Could Covid Affect November's 2021 Afcon Qualifiers?

The third and fourth matches of the qualifying for the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations are set to be played over the next week.

As with all sport around the world at the moment the way the matches are held will be affected by the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Nations Cup finals have already been delayed by a year and will now take place in 2022 in Cameroon.

Release of players

In normal circumstances, clubs around the globe are required by Fifa regulations to release their players for national team duty even if that person is injured.

In the past club's and national associations have come to agreements over the availability of specific players for certain matches.

However, if there are no such resolution players can end up being banned from playing for their clubs in some of the games after the international break.

Concerns caused by the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic is leading to some clubs being reluctant to allow their players to travel.

The Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet has complained that Polish side Gornik Zabrze have said that Alasana Manneh will not be allowed to join up with the Scorpions.

BBC Sport Africa contacted the club for a comment on the reasons Manneh was not being released but did not receive a reply.

Saintfiet was left frustrated by Italian club AS Roma, who on Friday had said that reserve-team player Ebrima Darboe could join the Scorpions after initially refusing to release him, only for him to not turn-up for the back-to-back games against Gabon.

One Roma player that will not be travelling is Guinea's Amadou Diawara after the country's football federation tweeted that he has tested positive of Covid-19.

He has been replaced in the squad for the games against Chad by Ibrahima Camara, who plays in Portugal for Moreirense.

Guinea's coach Didier Six has also questioned the amendments made by Fifa and how they are being implemented.

Fifa's temporary amendments "apply to all international windows for men's football, women's football, and futsal scheduled for the remainder of 2020."