The United States soccer body withdrew its boys team from the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, citing security concerns in the Gulf. FIFA confirmed the withdrawal on Thursday.
The 48-nation tournament is scheduled to kick off in Doha next Wednesday. The American team was originally scheduled to play its opening match on November 21 against Montenegro, with group fixtures also lined up against Chile and Algeria.
FIFA stated that the decision by US Soccer was made in light of the existing United States Level 3 travel advisory. Qatar and the Gulf region have remained on high security alert since United States military attacks on Iran began in February.
Despite the American withdrawal, FIFA said that other international sporting events have been staged safely in Qatar this year. These events include a track and field Diamond League meeting, a MotoGP race, and qualifying matches for the 2027 FIBA men’s basketball World cup.
FIFA and Qatar are also scheduled to organize the men’s Intercontinental Cup next month. That tournament will feature Paris Saint-Germain, the Qatari-owned Champions League titleholder.
FIFA maintained that security assessments are unchanged. The governing body stated that no new developments affecting the security situation around the tournament have occurred.
The Dominican Republic will take the place of the United States in the tournament. The replacement team finished second in the qualifying group that the US won within the CONCACAF region.
According to FIFA tournament regulations, the US Soccer Federation faces a fine of at least 20,000 Swiss francs, equivalent to $24,000. The penalty is applied because the withdrawal occurred fewer than 30 days before the opening match.
The United States Soccer Federation informed its players of the decision on Wednesday. The announcement came hours after FIFA had published the American squad among the official player lists for the competition.
The squad of 21 players had been selected by coach Alex Aldaz. The roster included players drawn from clubs in the United States, England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Qatar is hosting each edition of the annual boys Under-17 World Cup from 2025 through 2029. The final match of the current 104-game tournament is scheduled for December 13.
