– Kinshasa, DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed it will not change its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite a formal warning from US authorities regarding the Ebola outbreak in the country. A team spokesperson stated that the national team's training program remains unchanged and emphasized that no players have recently been in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
US authorities have required the Congolese delegation to undergo a strict 21-day quarantine at their training base in Belgium before entering the United States. They must arrive in Houston no earlier than June 11 to comply with health protocols or risk being denied entry. In response to the situation, the Democratic Republic of Congo has canceled a training camp and a three-day farewell event planned in Kinshasa. The entire team, including head coach Sebastien Desabre, continues training in Belgium, allowing them to maintain their established program without major disruptions.
The Leopards will play friendly matches against Denmark on June 3 in Liège, Belgium, and against Chile on June 9 in Cádiz, Spain. Their Group K debut is scheduled against Portugal on June 17 in Houston, followed by matches against Colombia in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
Congolese officials are fully confident that their current preparation in Europe meets the necessary requirements. They have stated that the team will encounter no obstacles to fully participating in the tournament as planned.