The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern in the country that will be Portugal’s opponent in Group K of the competition.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to participate in the 2026 World Cup, despite the Ebola outbreak affecting the African country. This assurance was given on Tuesday by an official from the US State Department, quoted by AFP.
We hope that the team from the Democratic Republic of Congo can participate in the World Cup, said the same source, speaking anonymously, after the United States reinforced health controls at its borders to try to stop the spread of the virus.
US authorities have not yet clarified whether specific measures will be applied to the Congolese delegation during the event, which will take place between June 11 and July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
On Sunday, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, after more than 300 suspected cases and 118 deaths were reported in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, in addition to two deaths in Uganda. According to the WHO, the virus’s mortality rate can range from 25 to 90 percent.
As a reminder, Portugal’s first match in Group K is against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 17th. The team, coached by Roberto Martínez, then faces Uzbekistan and concludes the group stage against Colombia.
