US Soccer withdraws men's U-17 team from Qatar World Cup over safety fears

The decision

US Soccer has withdrawn its men's Under-17 national team from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, cancelling the squad's pre-tournament camp and its planned participation. The federation told players by letter on Wednesday, 11 November, and asked them not to comment publicly until FIFA announced the withdrawal. According to The Guardian, FIFA was informed of the decision on 11 November, and FIFA had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.

The letter cited the US State Department's level 3 travel advisory for Qatar, which urges Americans to reconsider travel because of the risk of armed conflict, along with directives for embassy staff and their families. A US Soccer spokesperson said the federation would not go into detail about how it reached the decision. The letter also expressed the federation's shared disappointment with players and thanked them for their commitment.

The federation's statement put the decision in plain terms:

“The well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority.”

Regional war and sports fallout

The advisory reflects a wider conflict. The Middle East war began in February 2026, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran, and Iran retaliated by striking, among other targets, US allies in the region. Since then, sporting events across the Middle East have been cancelled, postponed or moved elsewhere. The Formula 1 Grand Prix in Jeddah was cancelled, the Bahrain Grand Prix was moved to Malaysia, and the WTA Masters is being held this year in Indian Wells, California.

The Guardian reported that Houthi missile strikes on Riyadh's international airport killed more than a dozen people and wounded hundreds in October, and that US diplomats were told to leave Saudi Arabia later that month. The 2027 Asian Cup, due in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February, has been postponed by almost a year because of the conflict. Qatar has also been acting as a mediator in talks between the United States and Iran aimed at ending the conflict.

Tournament and the US squad

The 48-team tournament runs from 19 November to 13 December, and the United States were due to open against Montenegro on Saturday, 21 November. Chile and Algeria were also in their group. The New York Times reported that the squad, coached by Alex Aldaz, was to include players such as Malik Jakupovic of the Philadelphia Union, Robert Turdean of the Chicago Fire and Vinny Garcia of the LA Galaxy. The players were due to convene for a training camp in Atlanta in the week of 9 November.

The letter also praised the squad's readiness for the event:

“We are extremely proud of the preparation by our players and coaches to represent the US in the World Cup.”

The United States' best finish at the tournament was fourth place in 1999, and the team was eliminated by Morocco in the round of 32 at the 2025 edition. The Guardian reported that FIFA regulations for the 2025-2029 U-17 World Cups require every qualifying nation to take part or pay a fine. Withdrawing within 30 days of the tournament's start carries a fine of CHF20,000 (about $24,000).

202324

202648

2023

24 teams

2026

48 teams

Data from the article text

Open questions

At the time of reporting, FIFA had not announced the withdrawal, and it had been approached for comment. The Guardian noted that the U-17 World Cup was still due to begin on 19 November in Doha. The Asian Cup postponement and the Qatar mediation effort are separate from the tournament itself, and the sources do not describe any change to its schedule beyond the US decision.