US to let DR Congo football team in for World Cup despite Ebola restrictions
The United States will permit the Democratic Republic of Congo's national football team to enter the country for the 2026 World Cup, despite travel restrictions imposed because of the ongoing Ebola outbreak. The decision is being made under tight health protocols.
The US administration will allow DR Congo's national football team to enter the country for the 2026 World Cup, despite the general travel restrictions in place on Congolese nationals because of the country's ongoing Ebola outbreak. The decision was announced by Al Jazeera.
It follows technical consultations between FIFA and the US Department of Health and Human Services. The team will move through a dedicated biosecurity corridor — from hotel arrival to training facilities — with players and staff under an isolation protocol outside match days.
DR Congo qualified for the World Cup finals for the second time in their history through the latest qualifying round. While the outbreak has been concentrated in the country's east, the WHO issued an advisory this month. The US decision frames the sporting exception around principles of 'global solidarity and fair participation.'
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