United States Withdraw from U17 World Cup in Qatar
The United States have withdrawn from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar over safety concerns, US Soccer told players and their families on Wednesday, 11 November. The decision comes just over a week before the 48-team tournament is due to begin in Doha on 19 November.
Players were informed in a letter from the federation, seen by Reuters, which said the governing body was cancelling the team's pre-tournament camp and its planned participation in the event. The letter said the decision was taken in light of current circumstances, including the US State Department's Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar and related directives for embassy staff and families.
"The well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority," the letter said. The State Department's Level 3 advisory urges Americans to reconsider travel to Qatar because of the risk of armed conflict. The advisory was updated last month, citing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including on civilian airports and critical infrastructure.
Group J place now vacant
The United States had been drawn in Group J and were due to open their campaign against Montenegro on Saturday, 21 November, before facing Chile and Algeria. Head coach Alex Aldaz had announced a 21-player roster for the competition last week.
FIFA published the official squad lists for all 48 participating teams on Wednesday, including the United States, and declined to comment when approached by USA Today Sports. There has so far been no indication that any other country is following the United States out of the tournament.
What happens next
The tournament regulations state that a team withdrawing within 30 days of the start of the competition can be fined a minimum of 20,000 Swiss francs, around $24,000. US Soccer said it would notify the players' clubs on Wednesday and asked players not to comment publicly until FIFA announces the decision.
The 2026 tournament is the second edition of the Under-17 World Cup's new annual, 48-team format and the second of five consecutive editions to be hosted by Qatar. The competition is still scheduled to run from 19 November to 13 December in Doha.
