World Cup organizers are confronting a new logistical hurdle ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: how to safely host the Democratic Republic of Congo’s national team in the United States amid heightened public health restrictions tied to an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
The Congolese national team has canceled the portion of its pre-World Cup training camp that was scheduled to take place this month in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital. But the team still intends to travel to Europe and then Texas before the tournament begins in June, team officials told West Wing Playbook.
The team claimed one of the last slots for the World Cup and announced its roster earlier this week.
“Our team’s preparation program is proceeding as planned in Europe and Houston,” a spokesperson for the DRC team said in a statement. “It is the Kinshasa leg that has been cancelled due to health restrictions.”
The Trump administration and FIFA are working to ensure the Congolese team can enter the United States for its training camp and tournament matches.
“We’re actively working with FIFA to ensure that there is safe traveling, safe passage, and ensuring that travelers and the American public remain safe throughout,” said Satish Pillai, incident manager for CDC’s Ebola response, on a call with reporters today.
The concerns follow the World Health Organization declaring Ebola an international public health emergency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention imposing a 30-day travel restriction on non-U.S. passport holders who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
The DRC squad had originally planned to gather in Kinshasa on May 24 before departing for Europe.
That plan has now been scrapped.
“All players and staff members were expected to meet on Sunday, May 24th for the training camp in Kinshasa,” the team spokesperson said via text in French. “A public session was scheduled for Tuesday the 26th at Tata Stadium, and departure for Europe was planned for Wednesday, May 27th on a chartered flight.”
“Currently, the players are outside the country after their weekend matches,” the spokesperson added. “They will not be coming back and will begin their training camp in Europe later this month.”
The team is expected to arrive in Houston around June 10 for training camp. Congo’s first World Cup match is scheduled for June 17 in Houston against Portugal. They will then play Colombia in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
Fans from the Democratic Republic of Congo who have already received their visa will need to show proof that they spent 21 days outside of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan before they enter the U.S., consistent with CDC guidelines.
But fans who have not received a visa may face difficulties getting one as the U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has temporarily paused all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services.
FIFA said it remains in close communication with Congolese football officials and public health authorities.
“FIFA is aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the Congo DR Football Association to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance,” the organization said in a statement to West Wing Playbook.
“FIFA continues to work with all three FIFA World Cup 2026 host countries’ governments, including the U.S. Department of State, CDC and Department of Homeland Security, Mexico’s Secretariat of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as with the World Health Organization, to ensure a safe and secure tournament, as the health of all individuals involved remains FIFA’s priority.”
The public health crisis presents another major test for U.S. officials and FIFA organizers already juggling a sprawling set of diplomatic, immigration and security concerns ahead of the first-ever 48-team World Cup hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Organizers have spent months addressing geopolitical tensions from the Iran War and preparing for security threats tied to the massive global event. Now, they are also grappling with how to conduct the tournament amid an evolving international health crisis.
The Houston Health Department referred POLITICO to FIFA and the CDC for comment.
A spokesperson for the White House FIFA task force said the administration is coordinating across agencies.
“The White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026’s top priority is ensuring a safe, secure, and welcoming World Cup for all athletes, fans, and visitors,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The Task Force is leading unprecedented interagency coordination across the federal government to support tournament preparations and is coordinating closely with agencies responsible for public health, safety, and security.”
Rachel Bluth, Carmen Paun, and Sophie Gardner contributed to this report. ]]>