The United States has withdrawn from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar due to security concerns. The U.S. Soccer Federation has informed the players and staff that it will not send the team to the tournament, which begins on November 19.
The Americans were scheduled to play their first match on November 21 against Montenegro. Group J also includes Algeria and Chile. The tournament features 48 teams.
In a letter to the players, the federation cited the recommendation of the U.S. State Department that citizens reconsider their travel plans to Qatar due to the risk of armed conflict. “The well-being of the players and staff will always be our top priority,” the letter said, as quoted by The Guardian.
RBK reports that the decision is linked to regional tensions and Houthi attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia. According to Yahoo Sports, the federation discussed the situation with its internal security team and the State Department, with the outlet linking the concerns to the war between the United States and Iran.
The American team had already moved its training camp from Qatar to the national training center near Atlanta. The decision to withdraw definitively was made slightly more than a week before the start of the championship.
The withdrawal ends the United States’ participation in a tournament for which the team had qualified for a record 20th time. At the previous edition, also held in Qatar, the Americans reached the round of 32.
FIFA has not publicly announced how the schedule in Group J will be changed following the United States’ withdrawal. Qatar will host the Under-17 World Cup through 2029.