Ebola outbreak raises questions about DR Congo’s World Cup participation
Concern is mounting inside DR Congo over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
Houston is counting down to the FIFA World Cup, with seven matches on the schedule and a landmark fixture between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Portugal set to draw global attention to Texas.
DR Congo booked its place at the tournament by surviving a play-off against Jamaica in Mexico in March.
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Yet as the city prepares to welcome the team, the buildup has been overshadowed by the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a “public health emergency of international concern” after an Ebola outbreak in the central African nation.
Concern is mounting inside DR Congo over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
So far, at least 177 deaths are suspected to be linked to the outbreak, while nearly 750 suspected Ebola cases have been recorded in the east of the country.
“I’m deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said when addressing the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
‘Don’t panic, but pay attention’
Even so, anxiety over the Ebola outbreak has not punctured the mood in Houston, according to local journalist Ethan Bratton.
“I think the word right now is caution really, not quite fear. Ebola is not incredibly contagious.”
“Ahead of the World Cup, I think folks are generally pretty excited. Obviously, this is the first time we’ve had an event like this, and soccer isn’t necessarily the biggest sport here,” he told RTÉ News.
“We’re always excited to have big events in town and this is probably going to end up being the biggest event we’ve ever had in town. People are generally pretty excited.”
DR Congo are set to face Portugal at Houston Stadium on 17 June
Mr Bratton said the public response so far has been measured rather than alarmed.
“I think the word right now is caution really, not quite fear. Ebola is not incredibly contagious. It’s very difficult to get the disease,” he said.
“I don’t think people are necessarily too panicked. There is a lot of preparation going on right now. I know our medical industry here in Houston is definitely keeping both eyes open on this one.
“Thankfully, we have some of the best medical professionals in the world here in the Houston area. Our med centre here is one of the greatest on the planet.
“We’ve got the experts here on hand that are definitely paying close attention to this. And from what I’m seeing from all of them, the mood is ‘don’t panic, but definitely pay attention’.”
For all that calm, questions remain over what would happen if the virus were to reach the US.
“So far, our Sports Authority has not been too communicative about this, and they handle pretty much everything. It’s kind of one of those wait-and-see things,” said Mr Bratton.
“I’m sure they’re working on something, but whatever their plans are as of right now, they haven’t made them public.
“I have to imagine that if worst comes to worst, that game (Portugal vs DR Congo on 17 June) will maybe at most just get delayed, pushed back or moved around. I don’t see it getting cancelled right now, but who knows?” he said.
This will be DR Congo’s first World Cup appearance since playing at the 1974 tournament as Zaire
Chances to host the World Cup are rare, and while Mr Bratton said losing a group-stage match would sting, he insisted public safety must come first.
“It would be a disappointment. But obviously, safety first is the biggest thing,” he said.
“I don’t really see it being cancelled. And I’m sure there’s backup plans for that if something major happens.
“But like I said, they (the Sports Authority) haven’t really made any announcements yet. We just kind of have to wait and see what they’re planning.”
The road to Houston
This will be DR Congo’s first appearance at a World Cup since the country competed as Zaire at the 1974 tournament.
That campaign remains remembered for the side’s infamous and much-scrutinised attempt to defend a free kick in its final match against then-holders Brazil.
This time, qualification came through a play-off in March, when former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe struck from a corner to seal a 1-0 extra-time victory over Jamaica for the Leopards.
The squad includes current Premier League talent, among them West Ham United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa.
They have been drawn in Group K, alongside Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan.
The World Cup gets under way on 11 June. DR Congo are due to meet Portugal at Houston Stadium on 17 June, then face Colombia in Guadalajara, Mexico on 24 June. Their final group game, against Uzbekistan, will be played in Atlanta on 27 June.
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) imposed travel restrictions on any non-US passport holders seeking to enter the US if they have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan or Uganda within the previous 21 days.
Those exemptions are in force for 30 days from the date they were issued, 18 May.
The current CDC travel restrictions are scheduled to expire on 17 June.
“We’ve been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble…”
That has prompted a series of pressing questions – can DR Congo still travel for the World Cup?
Will they need to quarantine or isolate, and what happens if they cannot go?
US officials moved quickly to address those concerns.
FIFA said it is ‘monitoring the situation’
The team will be permitted to travel to the US and take part in the World Cup – but only if it isolates for 21 days in advance.
Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, said yesterday that the Congolese delegation must preserve a bubble while training in Belgium and complete a three-week isolation period or risk being refused entry.
“We’ve been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on 11 June,” Mr Giuliani said.
“We’ve made it very clear to the Congo government as well, that they need to maintain that bubble or they risk not being able to travel to the United States. We cannot be any clearer.”
All members of the DR Congo squad, along with French head coach Sébastien Desabre, are based outside the country.
Mr Giuliani said the US is not prepared to take risks over health and safety during the World Cup.
“We want to make sure that there is nothing that’s going to come in or near our borders here on this,” he said.
DR Congo scrapped a planned training camp in the capital, Kinshasa, because of the outbreak and moved preparations to Belgium, where the team is scheduled to play Denmark in a friendly in Liege on 3 June. Another friendly against Chile is set for southern Spain on 9 June.
Football’s world governing body said it is “aware of and monitoring the situation” surrounding the Ebola outbreak.
“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,” they said in a statement.
There are hundreds of suspected Ebola cases in the east of DR Congo
“FIFA continues to work with all three FIFA World Cup 2026 host countries’ governments, including the US 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,” it said.
“My gut feeling is that it won’t have any impact. I think if a soccer team is in a training camp and are professional players, they’ll be removed from it.”
The Houston Host Committee issued a brief statement that echoed that position.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee is being briefed by FIFA, public health experts, and relevant medical agencies regarding recent virus outbreaks,” the statement read.
“The Host Committee will follow the guidance and recommendations of health authorities as preparations for the tournament move forward.”
The Congolese Football Federation have also been contacted by RTÉ News for comment.
Calm in Houston, caution beyond it
While the mood in Houston has remained steady, warnings to proceed carefully have been heard elsewhere.
Professor Anne Moore of the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at University College Cork said DR Congo’s travel arrangements could pose complications, though she believes their tournament place is unlikely to be under immediate threat.
“I think there will be challenges. I don’t know anything about the DR Congo football team, (but) I presume similar to other football teams, they’ll be in a different area to a mining region in the Congo,” she said.
“It depends how isolated or how exposed they’ve been to anybody who has been involved in the current outbreak.
“My gut feeling is that it won’t have any impact. I think if a soccer team is in a training camp and are professional players, they’ll be removed from it.”
Prof Moore said anyone connected to the DR Congo team, including supporters, may have to show they had not been exposed to the virus – a requirement that could create further logistical hurdles.
There were calls for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro to be postponed after the Zika virus outbreak
“If these players, and anybody travelling over to the US, have been nowhere near where there’s been outbreaks, there is no issue,” she said.
“Do they need to prove that they’ve been nowhere near where there’s been cases, perhaps? Do they need to go into isolation before or quarantine themselves to make sure that they aren’t coming in contact with a potential outbreak?
“I don’t know how many supporters are travelling over, but can you track them and know that they’re in a certain place?”
When disease collides with major sport
Major sporting events have been disrupted by disease before. The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo were delayed by a full year because of the global Covid-19 pandemic, and the 2020 UEFA European Championships were also postponed.
In 2016, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro faced calls to be delayed because of the Zika virus outbreak.
The International Olympic Committee and the WHO ultimately allowed those Games to go ahead, despite criticism and the withdrawal of several athletes, including golfers Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
“Emergency responses need to be ready and ready to be stepped up.”
Prof Moore said the handling of the current outbreak will determine whether a similarly flexible approach can be taken again.
“I think we might need to wait and see, and see how quickly and effectively the current DRC-Uganda outbreak can be managed,” she said.
“That comes back to pumping the resources in there quickly, being able to find all of the cases that have been there and all the cases that are going to rise in the next few weeks. I think that needs to be the focus.
“The first priority is the people that are affected and the people who are sick. I don’t know how FIFA think, but I think the WHO will definitely be concerned.
“The primary concerns are the people in the region who are already sick or may have been exposed, and putting an end to the current outbreak.
“When you have a lot of people together, disease can spread very quickly. Whether that’s Ebola virus or something else, but that should be part of the organisation of a large event like the World Cup, you need to have your health authorities ready.
“Emergency responses need to be ready and ready to be stepped up,” Prof Moore added.
Preparations for the 2026 World Cup have already faced turbulence, but for now, the Ebola outbreak may yet stop short of becoming another off-field crisis threatening to overshadow the football itself.
