'Nightmare' engulfs the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup is not just a football festival, but also an unprecedented test for the public health systems of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Cristiano Ronaldo is on the verge of what could be the last World Cup of his career.

Although the FIFA World Cup 2026 is just weeks away, Dr. Rebecca Katz has spent years preparing for the public health risks that the planet's biggest sporting event could entail. For her, behind the festive atmosphere and packed stadiums lies the complex problem of disease outbreaks and public health safety.

According to experts, the healthcare industry already has a very clear "strategy" for preparing for and protecting public health during mass events. However, this year's World Cup, with millions of visitors flocking to North America, is posing unprecedented tests for the public health response system.

Numerous health issues have arisen surrounding the planet's biggest football festival. Photo: Reuters .

New and old threats are at play simultaneously.

Currently, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda is becoming a global health concern. The WHO has declared a "Public Health Emergency" for this outbreak. Notably, this crisis is also unfolding against the backdrop of many US and international health resources being diverted to respond to a rare Hanta virus outbreak.

“We are preparing for the unexpected, but it’s also very important to be prepared for what we already know. Common illnesses will become even more prevalent,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, Director of Health for the Fulton County Health Board (Georgia), where Atlanta is hosting the World Cup.

Among these, respiratory infections are considered a top concern at large gatherings. Measles is rapidly rising to the top of the list as all three co-hosting nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—are seeing a sharp increase in cases recently.

"If a measles outbreak were to occur within the FIFA fan community, it would be an extremely challenging situation because fans often travel constantly with their teams from city to city," said Dr. Plescia.

The risk of Ebola spreading globally is assessed as low. Photo: Reuters .

In addition, sexually transmitted diseases also pose a significant challenge in the context of continuous celebrations and social gatherings. Viral diseases transmitted through insect bites, such as dengue fever and chikungunya, are also among the risk factors that need close monitoring.

According to Dr. Katz, Director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University, the US already has mosquito species capable of transmitting these diseases. Previously, the number of carriers was not large enough to sustain a chain of transmission in the community. However, the influx of millions of tourists from around the world could change the situation.

"The World Cup will bring millions of people to North America, and that has the potential to make the chain of disease transmission more sustainable," she warned.

In addition to the disease outbreak, local health officials are also monitoring a range of other risks such as rising temperatures, deteriorating air quality, drug overdoses, and food safety issues.

"Crowds combined with sunshine, summer temperatures, exhaustion from exercise, and alcohol are a recipe that sends people straight to the emergency room every year," said Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist and former senior advisor at the U.S. CDC.

Deploy a wide-ranging surveillance network.

Although Ebola is on the list of threats to watch, most experts assess the actual risk to the World Cup as far lower than that of measles or other respiratory illnesses.

To minimize risk, the U.S. federal government has implemented a special screening process for international travelers. Those who have been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within 21 days prior to entering the U.S. are required to land at Atlanta, Houston, or Dulles Airport in suburban Washington for medical screening.

To help authorities and the public identify health risks early, Dr. Katz launched the Health Security Operations Center earlier this month.

This is the central hub for monitoring potential infectious disease threats, and it releases daily situation reports to hundreds of organizations and individuals, including hospital emergency managers, state and local health agencies, federal agencies, and tournament organizers.

2025 was the year the US recorded its highest number of measles cases ever. Photo: Reuters .

Alongside the national-level monitoring system, host cities are also implementing various measures to monitor public health in real time. Among these, wastewater monitoring is considered one of the most important tools since the Covid-19 pandemic.

By analyzing wastewater samples, health authorities can quickly detect pathogens circulating in the community without having to test each individual.

In Dallas, health officials increased the number of sampling sites to cover the entire area and implemented metagenomic sequencing techniques to detect any contaminants present in wastewater on a large scale without pre-determining the target.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia plans to put into operation a dedicated mobile testing facility. This system will allow for on-site testing of a wide variety of samples, significantly reducing waiting times compared to sending samples to specialized laboratories elsewhere.

To support the host locations, the U.S. federal government also allocated $625 million through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) FIFA World Cup Grant Program.

Source: https://znews.vn/ac-mong-bua-vay-world-cup-2026-post1655191.html