DR Congo Seeks FIFA Refund for Fans Barred from 2026 World Cup Over Ebola Travel Restrictions

The Democratic Republic of Congo's football federation (Fecofa) has formally requested that FIFA refund the cost of 2026 World Cup tickets purchased by fans who are now barred from entering the United States due to Ebola-related travel restrictions.

The Leopards are set to make their first appearance at the tournament since 1974, but a public health emergency declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on May 16 is preventing their supporters from travelling to the US.

Since the outbreak was declared, officials have reported over 900 suspected Ebola cases and 223 suspected deaths across central and East Africa, with the vast majority concentrated in DR Congo. In response, the US embassy in Kinshasa has suspended visa services.

While the WHO has not recommended travel restrictions, the United States has prohibited entry for non-US citizens who have been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.

"We asked FIFA if it is possible to take this into consideration, because the tickets are a little bit expensive," Veron Mosengo-Omba, president of Fecofa, told BBC Sport Africa. "They are punished because they cannot get [in to the US] to see the World Cup to support their team."

"We don't want our supporters who love football, who love the World Cup, to lose everything."

The US is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico. Ticket prices have surged, costing up to seven times more than at the 2022 tournament in Qatar due to FIFA's dynamic pricing mode.

DR Congo's opening Group K match against Portugal is scheduled for June 17 in Houston. To comply with US entry rules, fans travelling from DR Congo would have needed to leave the country by Tuesday.

In a statement to the BBC, FIFA confirmed it "will look into it in due course." The governing body's standard policy directs ticket holders to use a resale platform or transfer tickets, with refunds typically reserved for exceptional cases like match cancellations.

With their second group game against Colombia taking place in Guadalajara, many Congolese fans are now expected to shift their travel plans to Mexico.

Their final group match against Uzbekistan is back in the US, in Atlanta, leaving supporters hoping the team can secure a second-place finish and a Round of 32 match in Toronto, Canada.

The travel restrictions do not affect the team itself. All 26 players in Sebastien Desabre's squad and most of the technical staff are based outside DR Congo.

Team officials who are from the country have already departed to meet the 21-day quarantine requirement. The Leopards also cancelled a pre-tournament training camp in Kinshasa and will instead assemble in Belgium for friendlies before heading to their base in Texas.

FIFA informed the BBC that it is in "close communication" with Fecofa, host governments, and relevant health agencies to ensure all medical and security protocols are met.

DR Congo holds a significant place in football history as the first sub-Saharan African nation to compete in a World Cup, having participated in 1974 as Zaire. For Mosengo-Omba, their return after a 52-year absence is a moment of renewal.

"This is the resurrection of football in this country," he declared. "People forget their problems now they are following the Leopards. The team need to go to the second round."