Congolese Federation Confirms "All Measures" Taken for World Cup Participation After US Ebola Restrictions
The Congolese Football Federation has moved swiftly to reassure everyone regarding the health status of its national team members, amidst strict health measures imposed by US authorities due to the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The federation affirmed that all players reside and train in Europe, eliminating any concerns about potential infection.
In an official statement issued today, Monday, the federation revealed it held a video conference with FIFA to discuss the implications of the Ebola virus spread on the “Leopards’” participation in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico between June 11 and July 19.
The statement clarified that the Congolese Federation, in coordination with FIFA, decided to cancel the preparatory training camp scheduled for Kinshasa. This decision was made to comply with the new US health procedures, which mandate special precautionary measures for delegations arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The federation confirmed that “all players called up for the national team, along with a significant portion of the technical staff, live and train in Europe, thus there are no concerns related to a potential infection.”
However, some members of the technical staff will be required to undergo a 21-day quarantine period in Europe before traveling to the United States for the World Cup. They departed Kinshasa on May 20 for Belgium, where the team will play its preparatory friendly matches.
The statement also noted that FIFA has pledged to study a proposal from the Congolese Federation president concerning the possibility of compensating DR Congo fans who purchased World Cup tickets but were unable to obtain visas due to the administrative and health restrictions currently imposed by US authorities.
The Democratic Republic of Congo national team is preparing for its first World Cup appearance since the 1974 edition, having been drawn into Group F alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan.
