The Democratic Republic of the Congo could be banned from the World Cup if they do not isolate before arriving in the US, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.
They are due to arrive in Houston, Texas, on June 11 ahead of their tournament opener against Portugal six days later, but the e team have been told by the health authority in the US, that they must isolate for 21 days before their arrival due to the ongoing outbreak of Ebola in DRC.
This means that their isolation bubbles must have started on Thursday and be maintained until their arrival.
Executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, Andrew Giuliani, has warned if the bubbles are broken, it could cost the team its place in the tournament.
He told ESPN: “We’ve 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.
“We’ve made it very clear to the Congo government as well, that they need to maintain that bubble or they risk not being able to travel to the United States.
“We cannot be any clearer.”
He insisted that the US has spoken to Fifa, the DRC national team and the government about keeping to their bubble in Belgium, where they will hold a training camp ahead of the tournament.
In the event that they are banned from entering the US, FIFA will have to pick a replacement and for now one of either Nigeria or Jamaica is favoured, although the latter who were defeated in the intercontinental playoff stand a better chance.


