&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "DR Congo cancels FIFA World Cup 2026 preparation camp because of Ebola. Will it affect their plans to enter US?")
The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has forced the country's football federation to cancel their preparatory camp and a farewell to fans ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The three-day camp and the farewell was planned in capital city of Kinshasa, which has now been shifted to elsewhere. The development comes after outbreak of Ebola's Bundibugyo, which, according to the media report, has killed over 100 people and affected nearly 600 people in the east of the country. The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts June 11 and runs until Jul 19 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Ebola outbreak in DRC
According to the DRC team spokesman Jerry Kalemo, the football team had three stages of preparation which also involved two practice matches - against Denmark in Liège, Belgium on Jun 3 and against Chile in southern Spain on Jun 9. The practice matches, ahead of DRC's opening Football World Cup 2026 match against Portugal on Jun 17 in Houstan, Texas (US), are on as planned.
"There were three stages of preparation: in Kinshasa to say goodbye to the public, Belgium and Spain with two friendly matches … and the third stage from 11 June in Houston. Only one stage was cancelled – the one in Kinshasa,” Kalemo said
DRC in Football World Cup 2026
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DRC are playing in their first World Cup finals since 1974 after beating Jamaica in playoff. They are in Group K with Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan. DRC's football World Cup schedule involves playing Portugal on Jun 17 in Houstan (US), Colombia on Jun 23 in Guadalajara (Mexico), and Uzbekistan on Jun 27 in Atlanta (US).
Does Ebola outbreak affects their travel plans?
The US has issued an advisory against travellers from DRC. As per the USA's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all people who have been in DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the last three weeks of their travel to US, are banned from entering the country. The ban lasts 30 days as a precaution.
All of the DRC's players and coach Sébastien Desabre are based out of the country and hence the ban doesn't affect them. The players who are in DRC "are leaving in the next hours", Kalemo said as reported by the Associated Press.
FIFA has also issued a statement and said it "is aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the DRC football association [Fecofa] to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance."
