A man takes a photo of a replica of the World Cup trophy as he visits the “Epic Album” exhibition, the biggest football exhibition in Latin America that contains relics of legends such as Ronaldo, Cruyff, Pelé and a collection of Mexican national team t-shirts, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches in Mexico at the Museo Yancuic, in Mexico City, Mexico May 15, 2026. Image @ REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
With the FIFA World Cup less than three weeks away, the three co-host nations of the United States, Canada and Mexico have closed ranks on Ebola, issuing a coordinated public health response designed to keep the disease from crossing into North America alongside the millions of fans expected to flood the region.
In a joint statement released Thursday, the three governments announced they had aligned their travel measures targeting arrivals from African countries most at risk from the virus. “This coordinated approach aims to protect our citizens and the millions of visitors, fans, athletes, and tourists expected during the FIFA World Cup 2026, while maintaining travel and commerce across our borders,” the statement said, without spelling out the specific measures involved.
The urgency behind the trilateral move stems from a declaration made eleven days ago by the World Health Organization. On May 17, the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern, warning of a high risk that the disease could spread to neighbouring countries. That declaration set off a chain of national responses across the three host nations.
Washington moved first, banning non-citizens who had recently travelled to the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan from entering the country. The ban was subsequently extended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to green card holders who had been in those countries within the previous 21 days.
Canada followed with some of the stiffest restrictions. Ottawa banned residents of the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan from entering the country for 90 days, a measure that took effect on Wednesday. Nationals who have spent time in affected areas and remain symptom-free are not exempt either — Canadian citizens, permanent residents and other foreign nationals who have been in affected areas in recent weeks and do not have symptoms will have to quarantine for 21 days from Saturday.
Mexico, while stopping short of a formal travel ban, has tightened its own defences. Health Secretary David Kershenovich said the country has not detected any Ebola cases and that the risk of transmission remains very low, but federal authorities are nevertheless reinforcing preventive measures and airport screening protocols as part of broader epidemiological surveillance efforts. He urged the public to avoid travelling to the DRC and called on arrivals from the country to observe a 21-day quarantine.
The three governments stressed that safety would not be compromised as they prepare to host a tournament of unprecedented scale. “The health and safety of every person in the region remains our highest priority as we welcome the world to North America,” they said.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah