New Delhi: The India-Lebanon World Cup qualifier, which got postponed in Chennai on Sunday because of rain, will now be held in Margao on Tuesday according to All India Football Federation (AIFF) sources.

Both teams have been intimated about the change of schedule and they would leave for Goa on Monday afternoon, said an official of the Indian team.

“As per Fifa rules, Monday was the reserve day for the match,” the official said. “It was initially decided to reschedule the match for Monday morning and take a decision in case the match falls through again. But going by worsening weather condition in Chennai, it has been decided to take the match to Goa without any further delay.”

“The match cannot be played here in the next few days,” said a member of the organising committee from Chennai. “It has been pouring heavily for the last few days here and the ground at the Nehru Stadium is completely waterlogged. The Met office has predicted torrential rain for the next few days also.”

AIFF sources said that though the federation bosses were toying with the idea of shifting the match to Bangalore or Delhi, they finally decided to play it at the Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa. Fifa is understood to have already given the green signal and the management of the two teams met in Chennai on Sunday evening to agree on the venue.

Indian footballers were supposed to leave for Delhi on Monday morning to attend the felicitation function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. The trip has been cancelled and the footballers have been asked to remain ready to leave for Goa on Monday itself.

The Nehru Stadium in Margao is currently being used by the Manchester United Soccer School (MUSS) for junior talent hunt programme, which was supposed to continue till Wednesday. The MUSS people have now agreed to vacate the ground for the World Cup qualifier.