AN Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup match between teams from Australia and Myanmar has been moved to a neutral venue in Thailand after Canberra refused to grant visas to the visiting side, Football Australia said today.

Shan United were scheduled to play Australian club side Macarthur in Sydney on Thursday as part of the second-rung regional club competition.

But Football Australia said there was “no viable way of playing the game on Australian soil” after officials refused to grant visas to the touring Myanmar side.

The match “has been moved to BG Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand”, it added.

Football Australia did not explain why the visas had been denied, and Australia’s Home Affairs department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Human rights groups have previously raised concerns about alleged links between Shan United and Myanmar’s military junta.

The Macarthur side was criticised in October after travelling to play in Myanmar against official government advice. – AFP, November 27, 2023.