PSG postpone Qatar winter tour amid rising COVID-19 cases

Paris Saint-Germain have postponed their Qatar winter tour as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the French club said on Wednesday.

France registered a record of nearly 370,000 infections on Tuesday, while the seven-day average of new infections set a new high of more than 283,000.

"In view of the health situation in France, Paris Saint-Germain has decided to postpone the Qatar Winter Tour 2022 to protect the health of its staff and players," the club said on its website.

PSG were due to hold a three day mini-training camp in the Gulf state between Jan 16-18 followed by a match against a local team in Riyadh on Jan 19.

The French club have reported a flurry of COVID-19 cases this month, with several players, including forward Lionel Messi, testing positive for the virus.

Daily coronavirus infection rates reported by Qatar have also soared past previous peaks recorded in the summer of 2020, as cases rise across all Gulf states.