FIFA has confirmed it is closely monitoring an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) as the nation prepares for its 2026 World Cup campaign, which begins next month. While the football world has been captivated by Arsenal's first Premier League title in 22 years and the EFL's dramatic decision to expel Southampton from the Championship Playoff Final and reinstate Middlesbrough following 'Spygate', the 2026 World Cup is now less than a month away.
However, an Ebola outbreak in DR Congo has raised serious concerns over whether Sébastien Desabre's squad will be able to participate in the summer tournament. The United States has recently imposed a travel ban on DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan in response to the escalating outbreak.
The World Health Organisation confirmed on Wednesday that the Ebola risk in DR Congo is high, but it is currently not a pandemic emergency, with several dozen confirmed cases, almost 600 suspected cases, and 139 suspected deaths.
A statement from FIFA read: "Aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the Congo DR Football Association to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance. FIFA continues to work with all three FIFA World Cup 2026 host countries' governments, including the US Department of State, CDC and Department of Homeland Security, Mexico's Secretariat of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as with the World Health Organization, to ensure a safe and secure tournament, as the health of all individuals involved remains FIFA's priority."
Currently, the US has prohibited non-Americans from entering the country who have visited DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past three weeks due to the Ebola outbreak. However, it is understood that despite the travel ban, DR Congo's national team will be permitted to enter the US through a travel exemption, according to a Department of State official.
"We expect the DRC team to be able to attend the World Cup," the official told Al Jazeera. "We're working to get them into the same protocol for testing in isolation that American citizens returning and permanent residents would be."
DR Congo has scrapped its planned training camp in Kinshasa, with a team spokesperson telling Politico.com that their preparation program is proceeding as planned. "Our team's preparation program is proceeding as planned in Europe and Houston. It is the Kinshasa leg that has been cancelled due to health restrictions," the spokesperson said.
According to the NHS, the Ebola virus is a serious, rare infection usually found in certain parts of Africa, caught by coming into contact with the body fluids of an infected person or wild animal. DR Congo secured their place at the World Cup in March after beating Jamaica in extra time during the inter-confederation playoffs. They are set to face Denmark and Chile in warm-up friendlies next month before launching their campaign against Portugal on June 17 in Houston. Their remaining two group stage fixtures will pit them against Colombia and Uzbekistan.
