The risk of Ebola affecting fans at the World Cup is “very low”, according to Dr Oliver Johnson, a global health academic at King’s College London, though heightened screening and travel restrictions could complicate logistics.
The expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July.
This coincides with an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has recorded around 600 suspected cases and over 130 deaths, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern.
The situation has already disrupted DR Congo’s World Cup preparations, with the team cancelling pre-tournament events in Kinshasa and relocating to Belgium.
US authorities have also barred entry to non-US passport holders from DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days, forcing Congo-based staff to depart early. The squad is due to arrive in Houston on 10 or 11 June.
Dr Johnson told Reuters: “If you are a casual visitor to the World Cup from around the world, I think there is a very low risk that you would be at risk of Ebola.
“Ebola has never really caused transmission in high-income country settings, where there have been very occasional cases. That is because it is not airborne. You had to normally have direct contact with someone who is quite sick, and there is usually good contact tracing. If a case does occur, it is identified quickly.”
Despite the low direct risk, Dr Johnson warned of broader implications. US authorities have introduced enhanced screening for travellers arriving at Washington Dulles from affected countries, with health agencies collaborating with FIFA and local officials to manage potential risks.
“It will affect things like airport queues and screening, which will slow things down,” Johnson said. “It is going to add a little extra stress and it’s going to cost money to the U.S. to try and organise.”
He also highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the outbreak’s containment: “I think the other possibility is that we hope this outbreak is not going to spread beyond DR Congo…. That could cause a knock-on effect of travel bans or extra screening, and it could happen quite last minute.”
Fans travelling to the tournament should follow basic precautions such as good hand hygiene and avoiding close contact if unwell, Johnson advised, urging supporters to respect others and avoid stigma.
The DR Congo team will open their campaign against Portugal in Houston, before facing Colombia in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
