U.S. men's soccer team withdraws from tournament due to safety concerns

China News Service, November 12. According to Reuters, the United States Soccer Federation informed players on the 11th that due to safety concerns, the association has decided to withdraw the country's U17 men's football team from the U17 Men's World Cup in Qatar.

In a letter sent to players, U.S. Soccer said it would cancel the team's pre-game training and participation plans due to the "current situation."

In the letter, the association mentioned the Level 3 travel warning issued by the U.S. State Department for Qatar, as well as related instructions for U.S. embassy staff and their families there. "The safety of our players and staff is always our top priority," the letter read.

According to reports, U.S. Soccer asked players not to comment publicly until FIFA officially announces the decision. FIFA did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

The U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory for Qatar last month, urging U.S. citizens to reconsider traveling to Qatar, citing the risk of armed conflict there. The travel warning update refers to attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and critical infrastructure.

According to reports, a total of 48 teams will participate in this U17 Men’s Football World Cup, and the competition will be held from November 19th to December 13th. The U.S. team was originally scheduled to face Montenegro on November 21, followed by Chile and Algeria in Group J.

According to previous reports, FIFA’s official website announced on the 11th the roster of teams participating in the 2026 Qatar U17 Men’s Football World Cup (World Junior Championship). The Chinese team's 21-man roster includes Zhao Songyuan, Zhou Yunuo, Wan Xiang and other main players.