Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Portugal Meets Congo in Opening Match Amid Ebola

6/18/2026

28 3 Full Breakdown

Center

Portugal Meets DR Congo

Portugal will meet DR Congo in Houston on June 16, 2026, in the opening Group K match.
DR Congo qualified for the 2026 World Cup, its first appearance in 52 years, as Ebola cases rise.
Portugal’s lineup features Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix, Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva and goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
WHO warned Ebola cases exceeded 800, prompting border monitoring with neighboring Uganda.

Left

DR Congo Qualifies

Nelson Mandela school principal installed hand-washing stations and banned canteen meals to protect more than 400 children from Ebola.
DR Congo qualified for the 2026 World Cup, its first in 52 years, while the country battles an Ebola outbreak.
Health workers report shortages and delayed tests, with only 25% of supplies arriving by June.
Street vendors and taxi drivers closed shops, prompting leaders to urge multilingual outreach and sanitisation.

History

Historical Context

After Mobutu Sese Seko’s 1970s investment propelled Zaire to win the 1968 and 1974 African Cups and become the first Sub-Saharan nation at the 1974 World Cup—where they lost all three games by a 0-14 margin—DR Congo returned in 2026, qualifying via a 1-0 extra-time win over Jamaica and scoring its inaugural World Cup goal against Portugal on 17 June 2026.

1 of 3

Portugal Meets DR Congo

Portugal will meet DR Congo in Houston on June 16, 2026, in the opening Group K match.
DR Congo qualified for the 2026 World Cup, its first appearance in 52 years, as Ebola cases rise.
Portugal’s lineup features Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix, Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva and goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
WHO warned Ebola cases exceeded 800, prompting border monitoring with neighboring Uganda.

1 / 3