The Democratic Republic of Congo asked FIFA to refund 2026 World Cup tickets purchased by supporters who cannot enter the United States due to Ebola-related travel restrictions. The Leopards are returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, but a WHO-declared public health emergency threatens travel plans. Officials reported more than 900 suspected Ebola cases and 223 suspected deaths since the outbreak was declared, with most cases and fatalities in DR Congo. The US embassy in Kinshasa suspended visa services, and the US barred entry for non-Americans who had been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days. FIFA said it would look into the request, while its standard policy focuses on resale or transfer of tickets.
"The Democratic Republic of Congo have asked Fifa to refund the cost of 2026 World Cup tickets bought by fans who are now unable to enter the United States because of Ebola-related travel restrictions. The Leopards are returning to football's biggest stage for the first time since 1974, but the public health emergency declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 16 May is threatening to stop supporters from travelling to the US."
"Officials say there are more than 900 suspected cases of Ebola in central and East Africa, and 223 suspected deaths, since the outbreak was declared. The vast majority of those cases and fatalities have been in DR Congo, and the US embassy in the capital Kinshasa has suspended visa services. While the WHO has not advised on imposing travel restrictions, the US has barred entry from non-Americans who have been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days."
""We asked Fifa if this is possible to take this into consideration, because the tickets are little bit expensive," Veron Mosengo-Omba, the president of DR Congo's football federation (Fecofa), told BBC Sport Africa. "They are punished because they cannot get [in to the US] to see the World Cup to support their team. "We don't want our supporters who love football, who love the World Cup, to lose everything.""
"In response to Fecofa's request, Fifa told the BBC it "will look into it in due course". The world governing body's standard policy dictates tickets are listed for resale or transferred to another individ"
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]