Overview
- U.S. Soccer told players in a letter on Wednesday that it was cancelling the U17 preparation camp and withdrawing the men's U17 team from the World Cup in Qatar because of safety concerns.
- The federation pointed to a Level 3 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State, which urges Americans to reconsider travel to Qatar, and to related instructions for embassy staff and their families that it said constrained team operations.
- The tournament, expanded to 48 teams and scheduled to run in Doha from November 19 to December 13, remains set to start as planned despite the U.S. withdrawal.
- Players, coaches and support staff lose a late-stage World Cup opportunity and will have travel plans and team logistics abruptly cancelled, with families and nominees notified through the federation's internal letter.
- The move highlights how U.S. government travel guidance can shape sports decisions and could prompt other federations to weigh embassy guidance and athlete safety in upcoming international events; Qatar is the U17 host through 2029.