Overview
- U.S. Soccer told players on Wednesday, Nov. 11 that it had canceled the team’s pre-tournament camp and would not send the U.S. men’s Under-17 side to the FIFA U‑17 World Cup set for Nov. 19–Dec. 13 in Qatar.
- The federation cited the U.S. Department of State’s Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar and said the decision followed reviews by its internal security team and consultations with the State Department.
- Head coach Alex Aldaz had already named a 21-player roster and the U.S. was due to open group play against Montenegro on Nov. 21, so the withdrawal deprives teenagers of a major development and exposure opportunity.
- FIFA had published official squad lists that included the United States and rules allow a team that withdraws within 30 days to face a minimum fine of 20,000 Swiss francs and possible replacement by another association.
- The move reflects wider disruption to sporting events from regional hostilities, including missile, drone and Houthi attacks in the Gulf, and raises questions about security planning for tournaments hosted in the region.