The Democratic Republic of Congo is set to compete in the 2026 World Cup next month, but an Ebola outbreak in the country could affect the team’s preparations.
The 2026 World Cup starts next month (Image: Getty Images)
FIFA has confirmed it is closely monitoring the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of the 2026 World Cup campaign, which begins next month. This week, the football world is captivated by Arsenal’s first Premier League win in 22 years and the EFL’s dramatic decision to expel Southampton from the Championship play-off final and reinstate Middlesbrough in the wake of ‘Spygate’, with less than a month to go until the 2026 World Cup.
However, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has raised serious doubts about whether Sébastien Desabre’s side will be able to participate in the summer tournament. The United States recently imposed travel bans on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan due to the spread of the outbreak.
The World Health Organization confirmed on Wednesday that the risk of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is high, but it is not currently a pandemic emergency, with dozens of confirmed cases, about 600 suspected cases, and 139 suspected deaths.
Meanwhile, FIFA said in a statement: “We are aware of and monitoring the situation regarding the Ebola outbreak and are in close contact with the Democratic Republic of the Congo Football Association to ensure teams are aware of all medical and safety guidance.”
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“FIFA continues to work with the governments of the three 2026 FIFA World Cup host countries, including the U.S. Department of State, CDC, Department of Homeland Security, Mexican Ministry of Health, and Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as the World Health Organization, to ensure a safe and secure tournament, as the health of everyone involved remains FIFA’s top priority.”
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Currently, the United States is banning entry to non-Americans who have visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past three weeks due to the Ebola outbreak.
However, State Department officials said it was understood that despite the travel ban, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s national team would be allowed to enter the United States under a travel waiver.
Democratic Republic of the Congo is planning to travel to the United States this summer (Image: Getty Images)
“We hope that the Democratic Republic of the Congo national team will be able to participate in the World Cup,” the source told Al Jazeera.
They added, “We are working to include them in the same quarantine testing procedures as returning American citizens and permanent residents.”
The Democratic Republic of Congo canceled its scheduled training camp in Kinshasa, and a team spokesperson told Politico.com that its preparation program is proceeding as planned.
“Our team’s preparation program in Europe and Houston is proceeding as planned,” a spokesperson for the Democratic Republic of Congo told Politico.com.
“The Kinshasa leg has been canceled due to health restrictions.” According to the NHS, the Ebola virus is a serious and rare infectious disease, usually found in certain parts of Africa. It is transmitted through contact with the body fluids of infected people or wild animals.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo defeated Jamaica in extra time in an inter-confederation play-off to qualify for the World Cup in March. They are scheduled to play warm-up friendlies against Denmark and Chile next month, before starting the match against Portugal in Houston on June 17th.
The remaining two games in the group stage are against Colombia and Uzbekistan.
