The US Soccer Federation has withdrawn the men's national team from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar. The decision was communicated to players on Wednesday, with the competition scheduled to kick off on November 19.
US Soccer cited safety and security concerns for its players and staff as the reason for pulling out of the tournament. The federation referred to a US State Department travel advisory for Qatar, which encourages citizens to reconsider travel to the country due to the risk of armed conflict and asks government employees to obtain special authorization.
Gianni Infantino and local organizers have stated that preparations for the event are continuing. FIFA noted that its security assessments for the 48-team tournament remain unchanged and is expected to decide on a replacement for the US team.
This withdrawal follows a pattern where multiple sporting events in the Middle East have been affected by tensions in the region.