In a targeted policy adjustment announced this week, a senior United States government official confirmed Tuesday that Washington will carve out a special entry exemption for the Democratic Republic of Congo men’s national soccer team, allowing the squad to bypass a longstanding Ebola-related travel restriction ahead of their World Cup appearance.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the senior State Department official told reporters that US authorities fully expect the Congolese side to fulfill their fixture commitments at the global tournament without entry barriers. The original travel ban, implemented in response to a deadly Ebola outbreak that spread across central Africa, bars entry to most non-US citizens who have traveled within the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the 21 days prior to their attempted entry to the US.
Notably, the DRC is the only nation among the three Ebola-affected countries to qualify for men’s soccer’s most prestigious international competition. The official noted that the team has been conducting pre-tournament training camps across Europe in recent weeks, meaning most squad members would likely not have met the 21-day exposure threshold that triggers the ban in the first place.
Even for players or staff who have traveled to the DRC within the three-week window, the official confirmed that a full entry prohibition will not be enforced. Instead, the contingent will follow the same strict public health protocols already mandated for returning US citizens and permanent residents, including mandatory testing and targeted isolation when necessary. This aligned approach ensures public health protections remain in place while clearing the way for the team to compete.
The official made clear that the exemption is limited exclusively to the official national team delegation, and will not extend to ordinary Congolese fans hoping to travel to the US to support their side during the tournament.