FIFA has extended the age limit for the men's football tournament at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics to 24 from 23, so that players who were eligible in 2020 will not miss out following the postponement of the Games until the following year.
Olympic football is usually restricted to under-23 teams for the men's tournament, with three over-age players allowed per team.
However FIFA has recommended that the competition should remain open to players born on or after January 1, 1997, as originally planned.
There is no age limit for the women's tournament.
Along with New Zealand, the men's teams due to compete are Argentina, holders Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, Romania, Egypt, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Australia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and hosts Japan.
The working group also recommended the postponement of all international matches due to be played in June - a formality as Euro 2020, the Copa America and the month's World Cup qualifiers have already been called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The recommendations still have to be approved by the FIFA Bureau, a reduced version of its decision-making Council.
"FIFA also reiterates that health must always be the first priority and the main criteria in any decision-making process, especially in these challenging times," said FIFA.
The group proposed discussions with continental confederations to finalise a revised schedule for 2022 World Cup qualifiers, after matches this month and in June were postponed.
It also recommended the postponement of the under-20 women's World Cup, due to be co-hosted by Panama and Costa Rica in August and September, and the under-17 women's World Cup in India, originally scheduled for November.
A decision the on the Futsal World Cup in Lithuania in September should be made by the end of this month, it said.
Reuters
