US OKs DR Congo's World Cup 2026 Participation Despite Ebola Outbreak
The United States has approved the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) participation in the 2026 World Cup, despite an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country, an American official announced on Tuesday, according to the AFP.
“We expect the DRC team to be able to participate in the World Cup,” said an unnamed official from the U.S. Department of State. The United States has recently tightened border health controls against the Ebola virus, barring entry to foreign nationals who have traveled to Uganda, DRC, or South Sudan within the last 21 days. The American official clarified that the Congolese team, having already trained in Europe, would likely not meet these restriction criteria.
Strict Monitoring Protocols
If any team member has traveled through their country in the last 21 days before entering the U.S., an exception will be made, but the individual will be subject to rigorous monitoring, following the same testing and quarantine protocols applied to Americans returning from the DRC, the official explained. However, this exception does not apply to Congolese supporters.
DRC, which will be based in Houston, Texas, will compete in Group K. The team will face Portugal on June 17 in Houston, then Colombia on June 24 in Guadalajara (Mexico), and finally Uzbekistan on June 28 in Atlanta.
The U.S. official did not address the issue of Congolese presence in Mexico.
This decision shows how sports can transcend health concerns, but it's a gamble. Will the US government's strict protocols be enough to keep the Ebola outbreak from crossing borders? What if something goes wrong, and who's responsible?