The National Professional Football Association (ANFP) postponed the League Cup final between Coquimbo Unido and O'Higgins. The match was scheduled for Friday, October 16 at 20:30 at Claro Arena.
According to BioBioChile, the decision came after the Metropolitan Presidential Delegation denied permission to play at the venue. The authority cited the effects of the severe weather front and the mudslide in the municipality of Las Condes.
The ANFP tried a plan B: moving the match to Santa Laura Stadium. That also fell through. In its statement, the organization explained that the authority rejected that alternative "in view of safety concerns identified at the venue by the Delegation itself".
ADN Radio reported the rejection on Tuesday morning. Hours before the official announcement, the presidential delegate for the Metropolitan Region, Germán Codina, said the matter remained open and that he was awaiting proposals from the ANFP.
"We are waiting for an alternative that the ANFP can offer us so we can better assess whether it is advisable to hold the match on Friday at Claro Arena or whether the match should be held at another venue," Codina said. By the end of the day, neither option had been approved.
According to ADN Radio, this is the final's second postponement. The sources do not detail the reasons for the first postponement.
In its statement, the ANFP expressed regret for the inconvenience to the clubs and their fans and reiterated its commitment to people's safety amid the emergency affecting Las Condes and the Metropolitan Region.
Those who bought tickets will be able to request a refund under the conditions published by the ANFP. The organization said that the new date and venue for the final will be announced in due course. For now, no date has been set for the clash between the Pirates and the Sky Blues.