U.S. Withdraws From Under 17 World Cup in Qatar Over Safety Fears

(U.S. Soccer. Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)
The U.S. is pulling its teenage boys' soccer team out of the Under 17 World Cup in Qatar because of growing danger from the war in the Middle East.

Players were told only a little over a week before the tournament starts on 19 November.

U.S. Soccer did not confirm the decision or reply to AFP's request for comment.

The U.S. was due to play in a group with Montenegro, Chile and Algeria.

The tournament, which has 48 teams, has been held in Qatar for several years in a row.

The report comes as the war in the Middle East, which began in February with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has disrupted sport across the region.

Several events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed after Houthi attacks, and this season's Formula One races in Jeddah and Bahrain were also affected.