The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national football team has been instructed to undergo a mandatory 21-day isolation period to ensure their eligibility for entry into the United States for the upcoming World Cup. This directive follows heightened health concerns regarding an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region, which has prompted strict travel restrictions from U.S. authorities.

To comply with these safety measures, the squad has relocated their training camp to Belgium after plans for a domestic camp in Kinshasa were abandoned. Officials overseeing the tournament’s health and safety protocols have emphasized that maintaining a secure “bubble” is non-negotiable. Any breach of this isolation, or the introduction of symptomatic individuals into the team’s environment, could result in the entire squad being barred from participating in the competition.

While the World Health Organization has elevated the public health risk level of the Ebola outbreak to “very high” within the DR Congo, the team’s current roster is composed of players based outside the country, mitigating some of the immediate travel risks. The team is scheduled to participate in friendly matches against Denmark and Chile in Europe before their tournament opener against Portugal on June 17.