The United States has withdrawn from the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar over safety concerns related to the threat of armed conflict in the region, according to an internal message sent to squad members.
In the letter, US Soccer stated that the decision was taken "in light of current circumstances" and followed guidance from the US Department of State. The government department issued a level three travel advisory for Qatar last month, telling citizens to reconsider travel because of the risk of armed conflict.
"The well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority," US Soccer said in the letter. The federation added that it would contact the players' respective clubs and instructed squad members not to comment publicly until world governing body Fifa officially announces the withdrawal.
The 48-team tournament is scheduled to take place from 19 November to 13 December. The American squad had been drawn to compete in group-stage fixtures against Montenegro, Chile and Algeria.
The official travel warning followed a deadly strike by Yemen's Houthi movement on an airport in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, alongside continuing air strikes on Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The advisory cited strikes targeting critical infrastructure and civilian airports, warning that hostilities "have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area".
Security concerns linked to the conflict have also affected other football events in the region. The 2027 Asian Cup, which was scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February, has been postponed by nearly a year. The wife of England striker Ollie Watkins, who plays in the Saudi Pro League, has also relocated their children back to the United Kingdom until the situation calms down.
