The United States has withdrawn its men’s national team from the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar over concerns about the safety of players amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The players were informed of the decision on Wednesday, according to a report by U.S. Soccer Collective, as cited by The Athletic.
The team, coached by Alex Aldaz, was expected to feature promising young players, including Malik Jakupovic of Philadelphia Union, Robert Turdean of Chicago Fire and Vinny Garcia of LA Galaxy.
The squad was announced last week, with the players scheduled to gather in Atlanta for a training camp this week.
The tournament is due to begin on November 19, with the United States initially scheduled to face Montenegro on Saturday, November 21. The Americans were also drawn in a group alongside Chile and Algeria.
The United States’ best performance at the competition came in 1999, when the team finished fourth. At last year’s tournament, the Americans were eliminated by Morocco in the round of 32.
FIFA changed the format of the U-17 World Cup after its inaugural edition in 1985, moving the competition from a biennial event to an annual tournament.
Qatar is scheduled to host the competition from 2025 to 2029. This year’s edition is the second to feature an expanded 48-team format, an increase from the 24-team field used in 2023.