CHICAGO, Ill. — The United States will not play in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar after U.S. Soccer told players Wednesday that it was calling off its pre-World Cup camp and giving up its place in the 48-nation event, pointing to security risks in the Persian Gulf region.
In a letter to players, the federation cited the State Department’s Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar and related directives covering embassy staff and their families. That advisory, updated in late October, urges Americans to reconsider trips to the country because of the risk of armed conflict and says federal workers need special approval before any visit.
That federal warning cites Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabian airports and other civilian targets next door and says the fighting could widen fast. It advises travelers to be ready to shelter in place and to have a departure plan that does not rely on U.S. government help.
FIFA said Thursday that the tournament will open as planned on Nov. 19 and run through Dec. 13, with the final at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. The governing body said its security assessments had not changed and that it understood the American decision was tied to the existing travel advisory.
The U.S. was drawn into Group J and had been set to open against Montenegro on Nov. 21, then face Chile on Nov. 24 and Algeria on Nov. 27. Head coach Alex Aldaz named his 21-player roster on Nov. 6.
The Americans had qualified in February by winning their group in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, routing the host nation 8-0, rolling past St. Kitts and Nevis by 10 goals and then tying the Dominican Republic 1-1.
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