INTERNATIONAL: The World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina in September that was suspended just minutes after kickoff when health officials ran on to the pitch must be replayed, football's governing body FIFA said.

The match at Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo was halted after five minutes when Brazilian health officials invaded the pitch to stop Argentina's England-based players from playing, saying they had breached the country's COVID-19 quarantine rules.

Argentine officials said they believed the same protocols used in the Copa America in Brazil in June last year were in place for the World Cup qualifiers to allow teams to travel across the continent. The South American Football Confederation confirmed that interpretation.

FIFA, though, said the two nations' inability to complete the match demanded disciplinary measures.

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has concluded that the abandonment of the match stemmed from several deficiencies of the parties involved," FIFA said in statement.

The match "should be replayed on a date and at a location to be decided by FIFA," it said.

Both nations have already qualified unbeaten for Qatar, with Brazil top of the South American qualifying group, four points ahead of Argentina. Both teams have three games to play.

The last scheduled round of qualifying games takes place in late March.