The Democratic Republic of Congo's World Cup qualification campaign has been thrown into disarray after a directive from the country's health ministry ordered the national team squad into isolation just days before their crucial double-header against Senegal. The players, who were due to begin training on Monday, have been confined to their hotel in Kinshasa amid fears of a COVID-19 outbreak within the camp. A source close to the Congolese Football Federation confirmed that two unnamed players had tested positive for the virus, triggering the health protocol.
The isolation order has prevented the squad from holding any collective training sessions, with just three days to go until the first match. The Leopards need to win both games to keep their slender hopes of reaching Qatar alive. Senegal, Africa's top-ranked side, have already qualified but are expected to field a strong team.
The Congolese federation has appealed for an exemption, arguing that the players are fully vaccinated and that the positive tests are now outdated. With the stakes so high, the situation is a logistical and administrative nightmare. A spokesman for the health ministry insisted the decision was taken to protect public safety.
We cannot risk a super-spreader event," he said. But for the footballers, this feels like a punishment for a past they have already tried to move past.
The players are frustrated, their World Cup dreams now hanging on a bureaucratic decision rather than their own talent. The first match is scheduled for Friday in Lubumbashi.
