The Congo national team has postponed its training camp ahead of the 2026 World Cup due to an Ebola outbreak
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national soccer team has been forced to adjust its plans and continue its preparations for the 2026 World Cup finals elsewhere. The reason for this decision is a serious outbreak of a rare and dangerous strain of Ebola (the Bundibugyo strain) in the eastern part of the country.
This was reported by the sports publication ESPN. According to medical officials, the outbreak has already resulted in over 130 deaths and approximately 600 cases of infection, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern.
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) responded promptly to the incident. The organization stated that it is closely monitoring developments and is in constant contact with the Football Association of the DR Congo (FECOFA) to ensure full compliance with all necessary medical protocols and safety recommendations for players and staff.
Amid the epidemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has implemented strict preventive measures, restricting entry for 30 days for foreigners who have visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past three weeks. However, the DR Congo national soccer team is not subject to these restrictions, as it has been training in Europe over the past few weeks. The players and coaching staff, led by Sébastien Desabre, did not return home during this period, so the team will be able to travel to the U.S. without hindrance, where they will play their first match of the 2026 World Cup group stage against Portugal on June 17.
In the DRC, thedeath toll from Ebola has risen to 131 – Reuters.
Earlier reports indicated that the 17th Ebola outbreak had been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has already claimed the lives of 80 people. This time, the disease was likely caused by the little-studied Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, rather than the more common Zaire ebolavirus.
Ethiopia has recorded its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, which is clinically similar to Ebola. The pathogen is capable of spreading rapidly, but there are no vaccines against it.
