USA withdraw from Under-17 World Cup in Qatar over conflict risk
The United States have pulled out of the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar because of the risk of armed conflict. US Soccer, the governing body for the sport in America, made the decision public on 12 November.
The tournament is for players under 17 and features 48 teams. It runs from 19 November to 13 December. The USA were due to play group games against Montenegro, Chile and Algeria, so the first of those matches is now a week away with no American team on the schedule.
In a letter seen by Reuters, US Soccer told players the decision was made "in light of current circumstances". The organisation said it was acting on advice from the US Department of State. The department issued a Level Three travel advisory for Qatar in October. Level Three is the third of four warning levels, and it tells Americans to reconsider travel.
That advisory gives "risk of armed conflict" as the reason. It points to Houthi attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure, and warns that hostilities "have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area". The Houthis are an armed group based in Yemen.
US Soccer said the well-being of its players and staff will always be its top priority. It will inform the players' clubs, and it has asked players not to comment publicly until FIFA, world football's governing body, announces the withdrawal.
The conflict has also affected another major tournament in the region. The 2027 Asian Cup, due to be held in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February, has been postponed by almost a year.
For the young players who had been preparing for a World Cup, the news arrives with the tournament still days away. Many of them will now wait for FIFA's decision and for word from their clubs on what comes next.
