Risk of cross-border disease outbreaks.
It's not security issues, violence, or terrorism, but the risk of cross-border disease outbreaks, particularly the escalating Ebola outbreak in Africa, that is the main concern for FIFA and the three World Cup host nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has just declared an international public health emergency regarding the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hundreds of suspected cases and hundreds of deaths have been reported, while experts warn that the actual number of cases could be much higher due to difficulties in contact tracing in conflict zones.
What worries the public is that the 2026 World Cup will be the first to expand to 48 teams, expected to attract more than 5 million spectators to the US, Canada, and Mexico for over a month of competition. This massive movement of players, officials, support staff, and fans from around the world inadvertently creates a favorable environment for transnational health risks.
The first warnings emerged after British newspapers quoted epidemiologists as saying that the World Cup could easily become a "super-spreader event" if just one case carrying the pathogen slipped through health controls. Some scientists noted that Ebola had repeatedly spread beyond Africa in the past and the possibility of a similar occurrence could not be ruled out.
Activate disease prevention measures.
Particular attention is focused on African nations, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo – a team making its first World Cup appearance since 1974. Due to the pandemic, the team's preparations have been disrupted. Farewell events for fans in the capital Kinshasa have been canceled, the team has moved its training location to Belgium, and many coaching staff members have been forced to leave Congo early to avoid entry restrictions from the United States.
The Democratic Republic of Congo national team must quarantine for three weeks before entering the United States. (Photo: CAF)
Not only FIFA, but all three co-hosting countries have also had to activate special pandemic prevention measures. The United States, Canada, and Mexico have agreed to apply new health screening regulations for passengers arriving from high-risk areas. Some individuals will be quarantined for 21 days or face entry restrictions if they have recently been in affected areas.
However, experts also emphasize that Ebola is completely different from COVID-19. This virus is not transmitted through the air but is primarily spread from person to person through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person. Therefore, the likelihood of an ordinary fan being infected when attending a stadium is considered very low.
However, what prevents health officials from being complacent is the unprecedented scale of the 2026 World Cup. Just one undetected case, with travel across multiple cities and countries, could make contact tracing extremely complicated. International airports, accommodation facilities, press centers, and areas with large crowds of fans all require close monitoring.
Experts consider the risk of an Ebola outbreak in North America to be low, but current developments serve as a reminder that elite sports cannot be separated from public health challenges.
Of particular concern is that the current Ebola outbreak is linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain, a virus for which there is currently no officially approved vaccine. The WHO acknowledges that research and development of a vaccine will still take time, while the number of cases continues to rise.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/loi-nhac-tu-bong-ma-ebola-196260601201159086.htm
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