The United States have withdrawn from the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar over security concerns linked to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, just eight days before the tournament begins on November 19.
According to The Athletic, the players were informed of the decision on Wednesday, November 11, after the team had completed preparations for a training camp in Atlanta. The squad, coached by Alex Aldaz, was expected to feature promising youngsters, including Malik Jakupovic of Philadelphia Union, Robert Turdean of Chicago Fire and Vinny Garcia of LA Galaxy.
The Americans were drawn in Group B alongside Montenegro, Chile and Algeria, with their opening match against Montenegro scheduled for November 21. Their withdrawal means they will not participate in the competition despite having announced their squad last week.
The United States have never won the tournament, with their best performance coming in 1999 when they finished fourth. They were eliminated in the round of 32 at last year’s edition after losing to Morocco.
The development comes as FIFA prepares for the second edition of its expanded U-17 World Cup format, which increased the number of participating teams from 24 to 48 and changed the competition from a biennial to an annual event.
Qatar is scheduled to host the tournament annually from 2025 to 2029.
