763 days later, Australian men's soccer team plays at home

SYDNEY (AP) — The Australian men's soccer team will play its first home match in more than two years — 763 days to be exact — when the Socceroos take on Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualifier on Nov. 11.

Football Australia confirmed on Friday the match will be played at Western Sydney Stadium in Parramatta and with 75% capacity — about 22,000 spectators — allowed in.

It will be Australia’s first home match since Oct. 10, 2019, when coach Graham Arnold’s side defeated Nepal in Canberra before the COVID pandemic hit about four months later.

The Nepal match remains the only game Australia has played on home soil in its 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign so far with 11 of 12 matches played outside the country. The team has six matches remaining, with four of those scheduled to be played in Australia.

Australia is in second place in Group B behind Saudi Arabia, which has won all four matches in this round. The Socceroos lost their perfect record with a 2-1 loss to Japan on Oct. 12.

Australia will play its second match of November’s FIFA international window at home against China on Nov. 16, with a venue to be determined along with those against Vietnam on Jan. 27 and against Japan on March 24.

The Socceroos also have away matches against Oman on Jan. 31 and against Saudi Arabia on Feb. 28.

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