A Taiwanese football team that was set to visit Mongolia to play in an AFC Cup match has been barred from entering Ulaanbaatar due restrictions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Mongolia has banned Chinese nationals and foreigners coming from China by plane, train or road to prevent the spread of a deadly virus. In addition, all sporting – and other public events – have been cancelled. The ban will be enforced from Saturday until March 2.

Chen Kuei-jen, manager of the Taipower Football Team, said the team was originally scheduled to board a flight to the Mongolian capital on Sunday morning. The team was heading to Mongolia to participate in a AFC Cup match against a Mongolian club on 5 February. The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organized by the Asian Football Confederation.

There have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Mongolia.

Mongolia had already closed its border crossings with China to cars, temporarily shut schools and suspended public events to prevent the deadly virus which has rapidly spread across China and infected thousands and killed over 300 people.