DOHA : The United States has withdrawn its men’s Under-17 team from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar over safety concerns, US Soccer told players on Wednesday.
In a letter sent to players and seen by Reuters, the federation said it was cancelling the team’s pre-tournament training camp and participation in the competition “in light of current circumstances”.
The decision was based on the US State Department’s Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar and related directives issued to embassy staff and their families.
“The well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority,” the letter said.
US Soccer said it would inform the players’ clubs on Wednesday and asked the squad not to comment publicly until FIFA announced its decision.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The US State Department updated its travel advisory for Qatar last month, urging Americans to reconsider travel because of the risk of armed conflict.
The advisory cited Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting civilian airports and critical infrastructure.
The 48-team tournament is scheduled to run from November 19 to December 13. The United States had been due to open its Group J campaign against Montenegro on November 21, before facing Chile and Algeria.
The US reached the round of 32 at last year’s edition, which was also held in Qatar. The Gulf nation is scheduled to host the annual tournament through 2029.
