The U.S. Soccer Federation has withdrawn its U17 men’s national team from the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, citing security concerns.
The decision comes as the U.S. State Department maintains a Level 3 travel advisory for the host nation, urging Americans to reconsider travel due to the risk of armed conflict in the Middle East.
Players and staff were informed of the withdrawal in a letter on Wednesday. “We are writing to inform you of the difficult decision to cancel our World Cup training camp and our planned participation in the World Cup,” the federation said in the document.
BREAKING NEWS U. S. Soccer is pulling the U17 USYNT out of the U17 World Cup for safety concerns. Not sure if other countries will do the same, but I am hearing U. S. is out. Players have been informed.
The federation emphasized that the safety of its personnel remains the primary factor in the decision. “Given the current circumstances, particularly the U.S. State Department’s Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar and the associated guidance for embassy staff and their families, we are unfortunately no longer able to participate in the tournament,” the letter read. The welfare of players and staff remains the organization’s highest priority.
FIFA confirmed the withdrawal, stating that it remains in close contact with the relevant authorities. “The applicable tournament rules will be applied,” a spokesperson said. “FIFA’s security assessments remain unchanged, and there are no new developments that affect the security situation surrounding the tournament.”
Qatar Hosts U17 World Cup from November to December
Qatar is scheduled to host the U17 World Cup annually from 2025 through 2029. The current tournament is set to feature 48 teams, with competition scheduled to begin on November 19 and conclude with the final on December 13.
The German U17 national team did not qualify for this year’s tournament.
US withdraws Under-17 team from Qatar World Cup over safety concerns —— US Soccer has withdrawn its men's Under-17 national team from the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, citing safety concerns linked to the US State Department's Level 3 travel advisory for the country. The… pic.twitter.com/6PqEscJJDS
Status of the U17 Competition
The tournament is slated to commence on November 19, with the final match scheduled for December 13.
More on World Cup
The United States has withdrawn from the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar over security concerns linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The U. S. Soccer Federation announced the decision on November 11, in a message to players, confirming that the team would… pic.twitter.com/OPAHCPIJAO
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