The United States has pulled out of the 2024 FIFA Under‑17 World Cup in Qatar, citing security concerns in the Middle East. The decision was announced to players just over a week before the tournament is set to begin on 19 November.
US Soccer Collective and The Athletic reported the withdrawal, drawing on anonymous sources. The governing body for soccer in the United States has not yet confirmed the story or responded to a request for comment from AFP.
The move follows a broader pattern of sporting events being disrupted by the escalating conflict in the region. The war began in February after joint US‑Israeli strikes on Iran, which prompted retaliatory attacks on Gulf states allied with Washington. Diplomatic efforts have been interrupted by repeated threats from the United States and Israel to resume bombardments of Iran.
Other competitions have been affected as well. The WTA Finals, originally scheduled for Saudi Arabia, have been relocated to Indian Wells, USA. Formula One’s Jeddah Grand Prix was cancelled, and the Bahrain race was postponed and later rescheduled under the same name in Malaysia. Several events in Saudi Arabia have also been cancelled or postponed following Houthi attacks from Yemen.
The United States was one of 48 teams set to compete, drawn into a group with Montenegro, Chile and Algeria. The Under‑17 World Cup, which shifted to an annual event last year, is being held in Qatar for five consecutive editions.
FIFA announced the decision to host multiple editions in a single nation to make use of existing footballing infrastructure for “tournament efficiencies and sustainability.” Qatar was also the venue for the 2022 men’s World Cup.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
