Nigeria's path back to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has suddenly brightened.
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo threatens to derail the Congolese team's tournament preparations. This opens a slim but significant opportunity for the Super Eagles to re-enter contention.
DR Congo confirmed a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak earlier this month. Nearly 600 suspected cases have emerged, with more than 130 deaths recorded so far.
Nigeria had suffered a devastating blow when it lost to DR Congo on penalties in the African World Cup play-offs. The Super Eagles' qualification hopes appeared finished.
The NFF immediately protested to FIFA after that defeat. Officials questioned whether several Congolese players met eligibility requirements for the squad.
According to the federation, DR Congo had allegedly misled FIFA during nationality switch processing for some overseas-born players. FIFA rejected the protest weeks later.
Now the health crisis is reshaping everything. The World Health Organisation has dramatically escalated its risk assessment for the outbreak.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement during a media briefing. He reclassified the national risk level from "high" to "very high."
"We are now revising our risk assessment to very high at the national level, high at the regional level, and low at the global level," Ghebreyesus noted.
DR Congo's World Cup preparations have descended into chaos. Officials scrapped a planned training camp in Kinshasa and relocated the squad to Belgium instead.
The team must remain inside a strict biosecurity bubble for 21 days before traveling to the United States. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup, confirmed these requirements.
"We have been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11th," Giuliani told reporters.
He warned of serious consequences if DR Congo breaks protocol. "They need to maintain that bubble, or they risk not being able to travel to the United States," he added.
American officials remain focused on border security during the tournament. Giuliani stressed that preventing any health threats from reaching U.S. soil is a top priority.
Most DR Congo players currently operate professionally in Europe. They include Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Yoane Wissa, and captain Chancel Mbemba.
French coach Sébastien Desabre also remains outside the country with his squad. His players are spread across various European clubs.
DR Congo faces Denmark in a friendly match on June 3 in Liège. They'll then play Chile in southern Spain on June 9.
While unlikely, any failure by DR Congo to participate in the tournament could reopen Nigeria's World Cup dreams. Football authorities are watching developments closely.
