BEIJING, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- The United States will withdraw from the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, local organizers told Xinhua on Thursday, with further details of the withdrawal yet to be confirmed.
Several media outlets reported that the U.S. team had decided to pull out of the tournament due to security concerns in the Middle East.
The tournament, scheduled to run from November 19 to December 13, will feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage.
According to the tournament's competition regulations, any member association whose team withdraws within 30 days of the tournament's start will face a fine of at least 20,000 Swiss francs (24,000 U.S. dollars). FIFA also reserves the right to decide whether to invite a replacement team from another member association.
Sources told Xinhua that FIFA's competitions department has yet to determine whether a replacement team will be invited or the qualification format adjusted. However, multiple sources indicated that finding a replacement at such short notice would be difficult.
If FIFA ultimately decides against inviting a replacement, the withdrawal could significantly affect the group qualification process. Under the current format, the criteria for ranking the eight best third-placed teams would need to be adjusted, with results against the bottom-placed team in each group excluded when comparing points and goal difference.
China has been drawn in Group H alongside Spain, Fiji and Morocco. ■
