The Democratic Republic of Congo is refusing to change its FIFA World Cup 2026 preparations, even after the United States issued a strong warning requiring a 21-day isolation period before the team enters the country. A team official confirmed on Saturday that the squad’s schedule remains unchanged despite the health concerns linked to a deadly Ebola outbreak back home.
The warning comes directly from Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup. He told ESPN on Friday that the Congolese delegation must keep a strict “bubble” while training in Belgium. “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 June 11,” Giuliani said. He added, “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.”
DR Congo’s group stage fixtures and travel plans
DR Congo will make their first World Cup appearance in 52 years. The team is based in Houston and opens Group K against Portugal on June 17. They then face Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and finish the group stage against Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta.
Despite the US demand, the Congolese team has no plans to adjust its European training camp. A friendly against Denmark is still set for June 3 in Liege, Belgium, followed by a clash with Chile six days later in Cadiz, Spain.
“We have kept our training programme. No player in the squad has come from DR Congo,” the team spokesperson stated clearly. The entire playing squad and coach Sebastien Desabre are based outside the country, mostly in Europe. Only a few team officials arrived at the Belgium camp from DR Congo earlier this week.
The team had originally planned a short celebratory trip to Kinshasa next week as a send-off before heading to the United States. That visit has now been cancelled to avoid any risk.
Ebola outbreak prompts international health alert
The strict measures stem from a serious Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Friday, the World Health Organization raised the risk of the rare Bundibugyo strain spreading nationally to “very high” and declared the situation in DR Congo and neighbouring Uganda an emergency of international concern. Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been recorded so far.
Team officials insist the players face no direct exposure. Because the squad trains abroad and no players have recently visited DR Congo, the federation believes current preparations are safe and sufficient. Whether the United States will accept the team without the full 21-day bubble remains to be seen, but for now, the Leopards are staying focused on their historic campaign.
