Asian Champions League: Coronavirus outbreak sees fixtures delayed

Brazil forward Hulk helped Shanghai SIPG reach the Asian Champions League quarter-finals in 2019

Asian Champions League games featuring Chinese clubs will be delayed until April and May due to coronavirus.

Chinese clubs' matches in Perth and Sydney this month and in March have been rearranged after Australia imposed travel restrictions over the outbreak.

After an emergency meeting on Tuesday in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed the new dates.

The outbreak has killed more than 400 people.

"We came together in difficult circumstances to find solutions to allow us to play football while ensuring we protect the safety and security of all players, officials, stakeholders and fans," said AFC secretary-general Windsor John.

John said representatives of the six member associations involved - Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand - agreed to postpone matches involving Chinese clubs that will take place in the first three matchdays.

Perth Glory will now face Shanghai Shenhua on 28 April, Sydney FC will play Shanghai SIPG a day later and Melbourne Victory will meet Beijing FC on 26 May.

However, Thai side Chiangrai United's match with Beijing will go ahead as originally planned on 18 February since Beijing are currently in a training camp in South Korea and may not have to be quarantined.

Australian officials have confirmed 12 cases of coronavirus in the country so far and last week barred the entry of non-Australian citizens arriving from China.

There have been more than 20,000 confirmed cases around the world, most of them in China, although the virus has spread to at least 24 countries.