The United States will allow the participation of the national football team from Congo in the 2026 World Cup, despite the Ebola epidemic.

The national football team of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be able to participate in the 2026 World Cup, according to an official from the U.S. State Department. Although the country is facing an Ebola outbreak, the official stated that the team has already trained in Europe, which could exempt them from the imposed restrictions.

Washington has announced an increase in health checks at the borders, prohibiting the entry of foreign citizens who have recently traveled to the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan. However, if a team member has been in the country in the last 21 days, they will be able to enter the U.S. but will be subject to strict checks.

The DRC team will have their training camp in Houston, Texas, and will play in Group K, facing Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan. The presence of Congolese supporters in Mexico has not been discussed.