The Philippine Azkals will have to wait to resume their campaign to reach the World Cup after the sport's world governing body, FIFA, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided to postpone the qualifiers during the next two international windows.

According to a statement released by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), the postponement is due to concerns regarding the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The announcement affected all matches scheduled to take place within the March 23-31 and June 1-9 international windows.

The Azkals fixtures affected by the postponement are as follows:

March 26 - Philippines vs. Guam

June 4 - China PR vs. Philippines

June 9 - Philippines vs. Maldives

There was no information on when the games will be rescheduled.

Despite the postponement, the PFF statement clarified that national teams may still have games during the affected international windows, provided they receive approval from both FIFA and AFC.

Coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, is a new strain of coronavirus that has surged around the globe in recent months. The coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more serious respiratory diseases. Flu is caused by a different virus. There is no vaccine for coronavirus, though researchers are working on one and hope to begin testing soon. Older people, especially those with chronic illnesses such as heart or lung disease, are most at risk. The coronavirus spreads mainly through coughs and sneezes, though it also can be transferred from surfaces. The best way to prevent infection is by frequent hand-washing, cleaning surfaces with regular household sprays and wipes, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick.