The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national football team has to finish quarantine before they can enter the United States for the 2026 World Cup, after an Ebola outbreak in their country.
Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force for the World Cup, said the Congolese team must stay in a controlled environment at their training base in Belgium for 21 days or they will not be allowed into the US. “We’ve clarified to the Congo government that they must maintain that environment, or they risk not being able to travel to the US. We cannot be any clearer,” Giuliani told ESPN.
Despite these challenges, DR Congo is in Group K and will play Portugal in their first match on June 17 in Houston. They will then face Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta.
The team is led by French coach Sébastien Desabre and mostly features Europe-based players, such as defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham United, forward Yoane Wissa from Newcastle United, and captain Chancel Mbemba from Lille.
Earlier this month, the DRC confirmed an outbreak of Bundibugyo, a rare type of Ebola, which has caused more than 130 deaths among nearly 600 suspected cases. Because of this, the team cancelled its training camp in Kinshasa and moved to Belgium. There, they will play friendly matches against Denmark on June 3 in Liège and Chile on June 9 in southern Spain.
Giuliani emphasised that the US will take no risks with public health during the World Cup. “We want to make sure nothing comes near our borders,” he said. The requirement creates a layer of uncertainty to Congo’s preparations, but officials insist it is necessary to defend both players and the public as the global tournament approaches.