By MMJ Immanuel Ben Misagga
Emeritus President, SC Villa and Nyamityobora FC
Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Angola, and Congo-Brazzaville are all neighbors to the Democratic Republic of Congo. We share borders, trade routes, cultures, and family ties. Yet as preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, the United States, and Mexico intensify, citizens from several African nations are increasingly facing visa denials and travel restrictions linked to fears surrounding Ebola.
The concern many Africans are raising is simple: are these restrictions genuinely about public health, or are they unfairly targeting an entire region?
Uganda, for example, has a long history of successfully managing public health crises. From Ebola outbreaks to HIV/AIDS and the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to contain infectious diseases through coordinated health systems, surveillance, and public awareness campaigns.
Many Ugandans therefore find it difficult to understand why African fans are now being treated as potential threats at a time when they simply want to participate in the world’s biggest football celebration.
The issue goes beyond football. It touches on fairness, dignity, and Africa’s place in global events.
Fans across East and Central Africa have spent years supporting international football, investing emotionally and financially in the game. Many have already begun preparations for the 2026 tournament, including visa applications, travel planning, and accommodation bookings. For them, sudden barriers based on generalized fears feel deeply unfair.
If health concerns are truly the issue, then solutions already exist. Modern screening systems and rapid testing technologies can be deployed at international airports to ensure safe travel without excluding entire populations. During previous global tournaments and international events, countries implemented screening and monitoring systems instead of blanket suspicion against specific regions.
The same approach can work for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA and CAF have a responsibility to ensure the tournament remains inclusive and accessible to supporters from every continent. Football has always been celebrated as a unifying force that transcends borders, politics, and prejudice. Allowing fear-driven narratives to overshadow that principle risks undermining the very spirit of the World Cup.
African football fans deserve the same respect, access, and opportunity as supporters from any other part of the world.
This is also a moment for African institutions and governments to speak with one voice. CAF, in particular, should actively engage FIFA and host nations to ensure African supporters are not unfairly disadvantaged through restrictive policies or negative stereotypes.
The World Cup belongs to the world. It should never become an event where some regions feel unwanted or excluded.
Africa has contributed enormously to global football through players, fans, culture, and passion for the game. From packed viewing centres in Kampala to celebrations across Kigali, Lusaka, and Luanda, African supporters are among the most loyal and energetic football audiences anywhere in the world.
They deserve to be part of football’s greatest stage.
As the world prepares for 2026, the hope across Africa is not for special treatment, but for equal treatment. Fans want transparency, fairness, and practical health measures that protect everyone without unfairly isolating an entire continent.
Football should unite the world, not divide it through fear.