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A little more than three weeks before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, DR Congo suddenly finds itself dealing with a challenge that has little to do with tactics, training sessions, or football itself.
According to reports, the White House has asked the Congolese national team to remain inside a strict 21-day health bubble before entering the United States for the tournament. The measure follows the international alert issued by the World Health Organization over a new Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo.
The timing is far from ideal. With preparations entering their most important stage, the Leopards are now being asked to spend 3 weeks in a completely controlled environment. The idea behind the decision is linked to the virus’s maximum incubation period, with U.S. authorities reportedly wanting to eliminate any possible risk before the team arrives in Houston on June 11, where its World Cup base camp is scheduled to begin.
And the conditions appear strict. The squad must maintain a fully closed bubble with no outside contact. Reports also indicate that if a player or staff member joins the group late, they would need to remain in a separate isolation setup. Any potential health issue inside the camp could create serious complications.
Despite the circumstances, the Congolese federation does not seem ready to change its plans. Rather than reshuffling its preparation schedule, the team intends to continue as planned. Friendly matches against Denmark in Liège on June 3 and Chile in Cádiz on June 9 are still expected to go ahead.
Some precautionary measures had already been taken. A planned public gathering and training session in Kinshasa was canceled earlier, with preparations moved directly to Belgium. The composition of the squad also reduces some concerns. Head coach Sébastien Desabre reportedly did not call up players from the domestic league, with nearly the entire squad already based in Europe.
For a team preparing for its first World Cup appearance in decades, the focus should have been entirely on football. Instead, DR Congo now finds itself managing an unusual balancing act by navigating a major public health issue at the same time.
And the clock is already ticking. The Leopards open their World Cup campaign against Portugal on June 17, before facing Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K. Before any of that happens, however, there is another challenge to overcome first: making sure they can simply show up for the tournament without being beset by any additional, off-pitch concerns.
