With just a week left before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, new border rules in North America have disrupted travel plans for fans and journalists from some African countries.
The United States and Canada have put emergency rules in place for visitors from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan because of more Ebola cases.
Ugandan journalist Clive Kyazze, who had been preparing to cover the tournament, is among those affected.
He explained that he now has to spend 21 days in quarantine in Tanzania before he can enter North America, which means he will get there only near the end of the group stage.
The restrictions are broad. The United States and Mexico have stopped non-citizens who visited those three countries in the last 21 days from entering.
Canada has paused immigration documents for people from those countries for 90 days and is not accepting new applications.
Canadian citizens returning from those countries must undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine.
In a statement issued on May 26, the Public Health Agency of Canada said the measures were “firm steps to reduce the risk of the virus entering and spreading within Canada.”
For many African fans, the timing is especially tough. The bans have forced people to change their travel plans or cancel their trips, putting a damper on what was supposed to be a worldwide celebration of football.
As the opening matches approach, these restrictions show how hard it is to protect public health while also keeping the spirit of the world’s biggest sporting event alive. The dream has become a race against the clock and circumstance.