US withdraws from Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, set to begin next week, over security concerns

The United States is withdrawing from the 2026 FIFA Under-17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar over security concerns, according to USA Today. It was first reported by U.S. Soccer Collective, though U.S. Soccer had not formally announced the withdrawal. They did, however, inform the players and their families on Wednesday. 
“We are writing to inform you of the difficult decision to cancel our World Cup pre-camp and our planned participation in the World Cup,” U.S. Soccer wrote in a letter to players.
“We are extremely proud of the preparation by our players and coaches to represent the US in the World Cup. Unfortunately, in light of current circumstances including the US State Department’s Level 3 Travel Advisory for Qatar and related directives for Embassy staff and families, we are no longer able to participate in the tournament. The well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority.”
The tournament is set to run from November 19 through December 13 in Doha, Qatar. The 21-player U.S. team members were announced last week. The full list of teams and team members was published Wednesday. By pulling out with less than 30-days notice, the team is subject to a possible fine of about $24,000. 
Qatar has been targeted by Iranian missiles and drones as some of the fallout of the war with Iran waged by the U.S. and Israel. 
The U.S. State Department currently lists Qatar with a Level 3 travel advisory, meaning visitors should “reconsider travel due to risk of armed conflict.”

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