DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taag056 ISSN: 1195-1982
Strategic Preparedness for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Response to the Bundibugoy Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Rigin Sebastian, Noufal Naheem Kottekkadan, Toney K Thomas, Muhammad ThalilThe 2026 World Cup will take place amid a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) related to an Ebola strain with no licensed vaccine or therapeutic treatment being currently available. Host nations have put in place entry bans and 21-day quarantines despite limited epidemiological justification. There is an urgent need for an evidence-based, risk-proportionate travel health protocol for infectious disease preparedness and management during large-scale international mass gatherings.