US withdraws from U-17 World Cup in Qatar over security fears

The United States has withdrawn its team from the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar days before the tournament opens, citing security concerns in the Gulf, and the Dominican Republic will take its place.

US Soccer informed players of the decision on Wednesday, Euronews reported. FIFA confirmed the withdrawal on Thursday and said the Dominican Republic will fill the American place in Group J, where it will face Montenegro, Chile and Algeria. The Caribbean side was the highest-ranked team to miss qualification from Group E, finishing level with the US on seven points after their head-to-head match ended in a draw. It will be the Dominican Republic's first appearance at the U-17 World Cup.

FIFA said its own security assessment for the event was unchanged and that US Soccer had acted in light of the existing US Level 3 travel advisory for the region.

At the Aspire Zone in Doha on Thursday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the choice belonged to each federation. "Every country, every national team knows best by themselves what they want to do, they decide," he said, speaking to Euronews and local media. "What I can say is that everyone is welcome in Doha, everyone is safe in Doha." He added: "Qatar is ready, FIFA is ready."

Jassim Al Jassim, chief executive of Qatar's Local Organising Committee, said preparations were continuing as normal, with several teams already in Doha for training camps and friendly matches. He pointed to MotoGP and a United Nations technology conference held in Qatar in recent weeks. "Everything is normal, business as usual for us," he said.

The tournament opens on 19 November, when hosts Qatar play Panama, and runs to a final at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on 13 December. It is the second of five consecutive editions Qatar will stage through 2029, and the second since FIFA expanded the field from 24 teams to 48, bringing every team to a single venue.

This year's competition has 104 matches, with up to eight a day during the group stage and the round of 32, most of them at the Aspire Zone. Eight countries will make their debut, among them the Dominican Republic, Greece, Montenegro and Vietnam, and China returns after 21 years away. Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, China and South Korea are among the teams already in Doha.

Infantino said the expanded single-venue format drew about 10,000 spectators a day last year. "We did not really know what to expect," he said. "The response from all the teams, from the managers, from everyone was absolutely fantastic."