World Cup 2026: Ebola Outbreak Disrupts DR Congo Preparations

World Cup 2026: Ebola Outbreak Disrupts DR Congo Preparations

Sampson Adedeji

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been thrown into uncertainty following an outbreak of a rare variant of the Ebola virus in the country, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Congolese national team were forced to cancel their pre-World Cup training camp as health authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak.

World football governing body, FIFA, confirmed in a statement that it is closely monitoring the situation and remains in contact with the relevant authorities regarding the impact on the tournament preparations.

The outbreak has also prompted travel restrictions from the United States, one of the host nations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

The U.S. government announced a ban on entry for foreign nationals who had been in DR Congo within the last 21 days.

Despite the concerns, officials of the Congolese national team insist the squad remains safe, noting that the majority of the players have been based and training in Europe in recent weeks.

However, members of the country’s World Cup delegation who recently returned to DR Congo during the 21-day period will reportedly undergo mandatory quarantine measures before being allowed to rejoin the team.

The development adds another layer of uncertainty to DR Congo’s build-up ahead of the global tournament as health and safety concerns continue to dominate discussions.