It should be noted that the Ebola virus causes severe, highly contagious hemorrhagic fever.

The White House confirmed that the Democratic Republic of the Congo national football team will be required to isolate itself in a closed “health bubble” for 21 days as a mandatory condition for entering the United States and participating in the World Cup finals, which are set to begin in less than a month, in order to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus.

The U.S. administration explained that this precautionary measure is intended to ensure the safety of the tournament, as the Congolese delegation must prove they have not been exposed to the virus before joining the World Cup competition.

Details of the isolation decision and arrival date in Houston

In statements reported by ESPN, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup Committee, said:

“We made it very clear to Congo: they must remain in isolation for 21 days before they can come to Houston on June 11, which is the opening day of the World Cup.”

To meet this deadline, the Congolese team—currently holding its training camp in Belgium—had to begin strict isolation procedures starting last Friday.

Giuliani added a warning:

• Late arrivals: If additional players join the squad later, they must undergo a separate fully isolated bubble for the same duration.
• Risk of exclusion: If the delegation arrives and any member shows symptoms of the disease, the entire team risks being disqualified and barred from participating in the World Cup.

He further stated in a press release to AFP that the White House urges the team to protect its players from unnecessary exposure to the virus to ensure their participation in the tournament.

Democratic Republic of the Congo World Cup fixtures

The Democratic Republic of the Congo delegation is scheduled to base its main camp in Houston, Texas, where they will compete in Group 11. Their matches are as follows:

• First match: against Portugal on June 17 in Houston.
• Second match: against Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
• Third match: against Uzbekistan four days after the second match in Atlanta.

Tightened health controls at U.S. borders

In response to the epidemic threat, Washington has imposed strict border measures to protect its territory, banning entry to foreign nationals who have traveled to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or South Sudan within the past 21 days.

However, a U.S. official told AFP that the Congolese team’s current presence in Europe may exempt them from outright refusal, provided they comply with the bubble requirement.

In the same context, all travelers (including U.S. citizens and permanent residents) who have visited affected or neighboring countries must enter exclusively through Washington Dulles International Airport for strict medical screening.

Ebola outbreak situation and WHO warnings

These measures follow a World Health Organization international health alert due to the 17th outbreak of the virus in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The organization currently classifies the risk level as “very high” nationally within Congo, where the disease is spreading rapidly. A total of 82 laboratory-confirmed cases have been recorded, including 7 deaths.

Ebola causes severe, highly contagious hemorrhagic fever, and the deadly virus has caused more than 15,000 deaths in Africa over the past fifty years.