DOHA, Nov. 12 — The Dominican Republic will participate in the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, following the withdrawal of the United States due to security concerns in the Middle East, FIFA announced on Thursday.
The governing body of football confirmed the U.S. decision and stated that it has the authority to appoint a replacement team when a participant withdraws. The Dominican Republic was selected as it finished as the highest-ranked non-qualified team in Group E of the regional CONCACAF qualifying competition.
According to a FIFA statement, “Following consultation with CONCACAF, FIFA’s Bureau of the Youth Boys’ Competitions Committee confirmed the Dominican Republic Football Association as the replacement participating member association in accordance with the tournament regulations.”
The Dominican Republic will be placed in Group J alongside Montenegro, Chile, and Algeria. The tournament, set 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 and the eight best third-placed teams will move on to the knockout stage, with the tournament format remaining unchanged despite the substitution.
China has been drawn in Group H, competing against Spain, Fiji, and Morocco, and will kick off its campaign against Spain on November 20.
