New Delhi: The United States has withdrawn from the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, with security concerns amid the continuing conflict in the Middle East reportedly prompting the decision.
The withdrawal comes just a week before the 48-team tournament begins on November 19, leaving FIFA to assess whether another nation will be invited to fill the vacant spot or the competition format will be adjusted.
Several media reports attributed the US decision to the deteriorating security situation in the region, Xinhua reports. The tournament is scheduled to run until December 13, with the United States drawn in Group I alongside Montenegro, Chile and Algeria.
The conflict, which began in February with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has had repercussions across the Gulf, with Tehran retaliating against targets that included countries allied with Washington. Diplomatic efforts to end hostilities have been accompanied by repeated threats of renewed military action, raising concerns about staging international sporting events in the region.
The impact has already been felt across the sporting calendar. The WTA Finals, originally scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, were shifted to Indian Wells in the United States. Formula One races in Jeddah and Bahrain were also affected, with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled and the Bahrain race called off before being rescheduled under the same name in Malaysia.
Under FIFA’s competition regulations, a member association that withdraws its team within 30 days of the tournament’s start faces a minimum fine of 20,000 Swiss francs (approximately 24,000 US dollars). FIFA also retains the authority to decide whether to invite a replacement nation.
The governing body’s competitions department has yet to settle on a course of action. Finding a replacement at such short notice could prove difficult.
The withdrawal could also complicate the qualification process. If no replacement is named, FIFA may need to revise the method for determining the eight best third-placed teams, potentially excluding results against the bottom-placed side in each group when comparing points and goal difference.
(IANS)
