A New Zealand footballer has been omitted from the squad playing in the UAE ©Getty Images

An unnamed New Zealand footballer from the squad that beat Curaçao and Bahrain will miss the All Whites' match against The Gambia due to their refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Manager Danny Hay said the player has been omitted as they would not be allowed into the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the match will be played, due to the country's strict travel restrictions.

"Over here they are really quite strict on vaccinations and getting into the country and needing to be double-vaxxed and at this stage there is a player that hasn't had that, and so we won't be able to select them at this point in time," Hay said, as reported by Stuff.

"I think it's just their choice at this point in time, from what I understand.

"Everybody's got to make their own choice around that, but with any choice comes consequences, and sometimes the consequences are positive, sometimes they are not so good.

Danny Hay was forced to drop one of his players as a result of the United Arab Emirates' COVID-19 restrictions ©Getty Images
Danny Hay was forced to drop one of his players as a result of the United Arab Emirates' COVID-19 restrictions ©Getty Images

"Ultimately that's up to the players to decide.

"That's not something I'm going to try and force on any individual.

"They have to make their own mind up."

Another player from the 23 has also been dropped after picking up an injury.

The squad is set to be revealed on Monday (October 1).

In March, New Zealand is set to take part in the Oceanian qualifying stages in Qatar, which has similar restrictions to the UAE, for the 2022 World Cup.