The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national soccer team is struggling to deal with a national outbreak of Ebola as it prepares for the World Cup, but the team still expects to play in North America this summer.
FIFA released a statement stating that “monitors the situation related to the Ebola outbreak and is in constant contact with the DR Congo Football Association to ensure that the national team is aware of all medical and safety guidelines.
FIFA continues to work with the governments of all three host countries for the 2026 World Cup, including the US Department of State, the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security, the Mexican Ministry of Health and the Canadian Public Health Agency, as well as the World Health Organization, to the tournament was safe for all participantsbecause the health of everyone involved is FIFA’s priority.
DR Congo he canceled the planned training camp which was supposed to take place this Sunday in the capital Kinshasa.
The DR Congo national team should have a base in Houston during the summer, and they will play the first match of Group K there on June 17 against Portugal. The remaining games in the group will be played on June 23 against Colombia in Zapopan, Mexico, and on June 27 against Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
The president of the organizing committee for the Houston World Cup, Chris Canetti, told USA Today:
As you can imagine, in this matter we follow FIFA’s recommendations and health officials. There are currently no changes to plans. The arrival of the national team is still scheduled for June 11said Canetti, reports HRT.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday temporarily restricted entry into the country for 30 days to people who have recently stayed in areas affected by the Ebola epidemic: DR Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
Satish Pillai, head of the CDC’s response to the Ebola outbreak, told Politico on Tuesday:
We actively cooperate with FIFA in order to ensure a safe journey and transit and to keep travelers and the American public safe throughout the competitionPillai stated.
(www.jabuka.tv | Photo: X)
