Mexico, U.S., Canada tighten Ebola rules for World Cup
May 28 (UPI) -- Mexico, the United States and Canada have activated a joint epidemiological surveillance protocol for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in response to an Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa.
The coordinated strategy aims to protect the tournament, which begins June 11, while ensuring the safety of millions of tourists and participating national teams.
International concern increased after the Democratic Republic of Congo, affected by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, qualified for the tournament and scheduled group-stage matches in the United States and Guadalajara, Mexico.
The World Health Organization warned that the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is "extremely serious and difficult" and threatens at least 10 other African countries.
Mexico Health Secretary David Kershenobich said there are no Ebola cases in Mexico and that the risk of local transmission remains "very low," but authorities have expanded preventive measures ahead of the World Cup.
During her morning press conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said authorities will install health checkpoints at airports and review the previous 21 days of travel history for passengers arriving from Central and East Africa.
Officials will also implement isolation protocols, strengthen medical infrastructure to immediately isolate suspected cases and expand medical training. Mexico, the United States and Canada are also coordinating surveillance and case management protocols.
According to Mexican media reports, experts described the measures as moderate and balanced, designed to protect World Cup events without causing panic or disrupting international travel.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the only country qualified for the 2026 World Cup directly affected by the Ebola outbreak. The country remains the epicenter of the Bundibugyo strain and accounts for most reported cases worldwide.
Last week, the United States announced that the Congolese national team must complete a 21-day isolation period before entering the country. The team is scheduled to open the tournament against Portugal on June 17 in Houston.
The African team's second match is against Colombia in Guadalajara, a western Mexican city expected to receive more than 5 million tourists during the North American World Cup.
Congo's final group-stage match is scheduled for June 27 in Atlanta against Uzbekistan. The team will maintain its training camp in Houston.
As part of the preventive measures, the Congolese Football Federation canceled training sessions in the capital, Kinshasa, and relocated the entire delegation to Belgium to complete the mandatory 21-day isolation period required by the U.S. government before receiving clearance to compete.
The United States and Canada are among the countries that imposed travel restrictions on the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as neighboring South Sudan and Uganda, in response to the outbreak.
Mexico's Health Ministry urged travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan to postpone trips to Mexico while the World Health Organization maintains the international public health emergency declaration.
Unlike COVID-19, Ebola is not transmitted through the air. The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people or animals.
The Bundibugyo outbreak has caused 250 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda has reported seven confirmed cases and one death linked to people with travel history to Congo.
Although South Sudan has not reported active cases, the country remains under strict international surveillance and preventive restrictions because of its porous borders with affected regions.
Because the outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the World Health Organization warned that the actual number of cases could be higher because of monitoring difficulties in the region.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 1:21 PM.