Qatar 2026: US pulls out of U-17 World Cup over security concerns
The United States will no longer participate in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar due to security concerns surrounding the Middle East.
The tournament is scheduled to begin next Thursday, but the US Soccer Federation has decided to withdraw its team following the US government’s travel warning about the country.
The US had been drawn in Group J alongside Montenegro, Chile and Algeria.
According to a letter sent to the players on Wednesday, US Soccer said it had cancelled the team’s pre-tournament camp and participation in the competition.
The federation explained that the decision was taken because of the security situation in the region and the US State Department’s Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar.
The advisory advises American citizens to reconsider travelling to the country because of the risk of armed conflict.
US Soccer said the safety of its players and officials remained its biggest priority.
“We are extremely proud of the preparation by our players and coaches to represent the US in the World Cup. Unfortunately, in light of current circumstances, including the US State Department’s Level 3 Travel Advisory for Qatar and related directives for Embassy staff and families, we are no longer able to participate in the tournament,” the statement read.
The federation added that the well-being of its players and staff would always come first.
The letter, which was sent to the players on Wednesday, was obtained by The Athletic.
Meanwhile, FIFA reportedly has the option of inviting another country to replace the United States, although no replacement has been officially announced.
However, the short notice could make it difficult for another team to prepare for the tournament. FIFA could also decide to allow Group J to continue with only three teams.
The United States had been expected to be one of the interesting teams at the competition.
Coach Alex Aldaz was expected to lead a squad featuring promising young players such as Malik Jakupovic of Philadelphia Union, Robert Turdean of Chicago Fire and Vinny Garcia of LA Galaxy.
FIFA introduced an annual format for the U-17 World Cup in 2024, with Qatar selected to host the first five editions of the competition.