Democratic Republic of the Congo have urged FIFA to refund 2026 FIFA World Cup tickets purchased by supporters unable to travel to the United States because of Ebola-related restrictions.
The request comes after the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency on May 16 following a major Ebola outbreak in central and East Africa.
According to officials, more than 900 suspected Ebola cases and 223 suspected deaths have been reported since the outbreak began, with the majority concentrated in DR Congo.
As part of emergency measures, the United States has suspended entry for non-American travellers who have recently been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days. The US embassy in Kinshasa has also halted visa services.
The restrictions have cast uncertainty over travel plans for Congolese supporters hoping to attend the country’s first FIFA World Cup appearance since 1974.
“We asked FIFA if this is possible to take this into consideration, because the tickets are little bit expensive,” said Veron Mosengo-Omba, president of the Congolese football federation, FECOFA.
“They are punished because they cannot get into 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,” he added.
The United States is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. Ticket prices for the tournament have risen sharply under FIFA’s dynamic pricing model, with some reportedly costing several times more than those at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
DR Congo, also known as the Leopards, are scheduled to open their Group K campaign against Portugal in Houston on June 17. Fans travelling from DR Congo would need to leave the country weeks in advance to meet US quarantine requirements.
FIFA told BBC Sport Africa it would “look into” the refund request, though its standard policy usually allows tickets to be resold or transferred rather than refunded unless exceptional circumstances arise.
Many Congolese supporters are now expected to alter their travel plans and attend the team’s second group-stage match against Colombia in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The Leopards will conclude the group stage against Uzbekistan in Atlanta, with supporters hoping the team advances far enough to play knockout matches in Canada, where restrictions may differ.
Despite the travel complications for fans, the Congolese squad itself remains unaffected. Most players and staff are based outside DR Congo, while officials from the country have already left early to comply with the 21-day travel requirement.
The team also shifted its pre-tournament preparations away from Kinshasa and will now train in Belgium before travelling to its World Cup base in Texas.
