US Soccer has withdrawn its men's Under-17 team from the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, citing safety concerns and the US State Department's Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar. The federation told players in a letter, provided to Reuters, that it was cancelling the team's pre-tournament camp and its participation in the event "in light of current circumstances." The letter said "the well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority," and asked players not to comment publicly until FIFA announces the decision.

The decision comes against a backdrop of heightened tension in the Gulf. The State Department updated its advisory for Qatar last month, urging Americans to reconsider travel because of the risk of armed conflict, citing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including on civilian airports and critical infrastructure. Qatar and the wider Gulf region have been on high security alert since United States military attacks on Iran began in February.S1S2

FIFA confirmed the withdrawal on Thursday, saying it understood the decision was made in light of the existing US Level 3 travel advisory. The governing body said its security assessments remained unchanged and that no new developments affecting the security situation around the tournament had occurred. FIFA noted that Qatar had successfully hosted several international events in recent months, and it did not name a replacement team, although the Dominican Republic was second in the CONCACAF qualifying group that the US had won.S1S2

The 48-team tournament runs from November 19 to December 13. The United States had been due to open against Montenegro on November 21, before facing Chile and Algeria in Group J. FIFA tournament regulations state that US Soccer should be fined "at least" 20,000 Swiss francs ($24,000) by the FIFA disciplinary committee for withdrawing fewer than 30 days before the opening game. The US reached the round of 32 at the previous edition, also held in Qatar, and Qatar is set to host the event every year through 2029.S1S2