FIFA says the Under-17 World Cup will begin as scheduled in Qatar on Nov. 19 despite the United States withdrawing its team over safety concerns, Al Jazeera reported Thursday.

The governing body said its security assessments for the tournament remained unchanged and that no new developments had affected the security situation surrounding the event. The competition, planned as a 48-team tournament, is scheduled to run until Dec. 13.

“The safety and security of all participants and fans remain paramount,” FIFA said in a statement to Al Jazeera hours after the American announcement. “As with all FIFA tournaments and events, we are in close contact with the relevant authorities and are looking forward to the tournament kickoff in Qatar.”

US Soccer’s decision also cancels the team’s pre-tournament training camp. In a letter to players, the federation said it was withdrawing “in light of current circumstances,” according to Reuters reporting cited by Al Jazeera.

“The well-being of our players and staff will always be our top priority,” the federation’s letter said.

FIFA said it understood the American decision was made in light of the existing U.S. Level 3 travel advisory for Qatar. The State Department updated that advisory last month, urging Americans to reconsider travel because of the risk of armed conflict.

According to Al Jazeera, the advisory update referred to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian airports and critical infrastructure.

In defending its preparations, FIFA pointed to Qatar’s recent record of staging international events. The country hosted MotoGP’s Qatar Grand Prix on Nov. 8, while the FIP Padel World Cup concluded the same day.

The United States had been scheduled to open its campaign against Montenegro on Nov. 21, followed by matches against Chile and Algeria in Group J.

Sources