The United States has reportedly withdrawn its Under-17 men's team from the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, just days before the tournament begins, citing security concerns over the conflict involving Iran.
The decision was communicated to players and officials on Wednesday after the US Soccer Federation consulted its security team and the US State Department.
In a letter to players, the federation said a travel advisory issued by the State Department and related security directives had made participation unsafe.
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“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 federation said.
“The well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority,” it added.
A report by Yahoo Sports quoted a person familiar with the decision as saying: “Sending 16- and 17-year-olds [to the tournament] given that situation was not tenable.”
The federation's decision followed an earlier move to relocate the team's pre-tournament training camp from Qatar to its national training centre near Atlanta as a precaution.
The Americans had been drawn in Group J alongside Montenegro, Chile and Algeria, with their opening match against Montenegro scheduled for November 21.
The withdrawal was reported hours after FIFA announced that squad lists for all 48 participating teams had been confirmed.
The tournament is scheduled to run from November 19 to December 13 in Qatar, featuring 48 countries.
The US Soccer Federation had announced its 21-man squad on November 6, with head coach Alex Aldaz selecting players from clubs in the United States and Europe.
Reports by The Guardian, Yahoo Sports and AFP said the federation had notified FIFA, players and staff of its decision on Wednesday.
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