US Allows DR Congo Football Team Entry for World Cup Amid Ebola Travel Ban

Washington DC. The United States will allow the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DR Congo) national football team to enter the country to play in the 2026 World Cup, despite an Ebola infection travel ban. A senior US State Department official said that Congo's team would be allowed to participate in the World Cup. "We expect the DR Congo team to be able to attend the World Cup," he said, on condition of anonymity, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The US had recently banned entry for non-US citizens who had been in DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan within the last 21 days. This step was taken in view of the deadly Ebola infection spread in these countries. However, US officials said that the DR Congo football team is currently training in Europe, so they may not fall under the ban.

However, if team members have recently been in DR Congo, they will be subjected to strict health checks and isolation procedures, similar to returning US citizens.

According to officials, the team will be tested and monitored under special health protocols. "We are in the process of including them in the testing and isolation procedures that US citizens and permanent residents follow," he said.

However, it has been clarified that this exemption will not apply to ordinary supporters or spectators. That is, supporters coming from DR Congo may not be able to travel to the US due to the current travel ban.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. DR Congo's first match is scheduled to be played against Portugal in Texas, USA on June 17. DR Congo is the only nation among the three affected countries to qualify for the World Cup. It has been analyzed that the US government has shown flexibility in managing the sports competition, prioritizing public health security.