Hibs winger Martin Boyle in limbo over Australia games postponed due to coronavirus outbreak

Hibs and Australia winger Martin Boyle has been left in limbo after FIFA decided to postpone all Asian World Cup qualifiers to be played later this month - but then left the door open for the continent’s countries to arrange matches on the original dates.

World football’s governing body called off the Socceroos’ matches against Kuwait and Nepal - scheduled for March 26 in Perth and March 31 in Kathmandu respectively - on Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak, but will allow nations affected by the decision to play “provided that the safety of all individuals involved meets the required standards”.

Boyle was widely expected to be called into Graham Arnold’s squad for the Aussies’ double-header and the 26-year-old was preparing to travel across the globe despite the rising number of coronavirus cases worldwide.

‘Travel is the big issue’

Speaking to the Evening News in the wake of Hibs’ 3-1 defeat by Aberdeen before Monday’s decision to postpone the ties, Boyle said: “It’s worrying, it’s worldwide. We have players scattered all around the globe and travel is the big issue.

“I 100 per cent want to go but I would have to see what the best, safe travel arrangements are if I were to make the squad. I am concentrating on my game here and I need to be performing first and foremost to be in that squad.”

Amid a raft of sporting cancellations across the world on Monday, FIFA decided to act on games being played in Asia - where the coronavirus first originated - with a statement on their website reading: “Following consultation with Asia’s member associations, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have agreed to postpone the upcoming Asian qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as follows: Matches originally scheduled to take place during the international window of 23-31 March 2020 and 1-9 June 2020 are postponed to later dates.

“FIFA and the AFC will discuss further details of the postponed matches.

“However, in order to support the member associations concerned, and provided that the safety of all individuals involved meets the required standards and that the member associations due to play each other mutually agree, the match(es) may still be played during the international windows of March or June 2020, but always subject to prior approval from both FIFA and the AFC.”

Waiting game for Boyle

Boyle, capped four times by the Socceroos, will now have to wait until the Australian Football Federation and their counterparts decide whether to play matches over the pre-arranged international break or remain idle.

Hibs’ first match back after the international break is against Celtic on Sunday, April 5.