North American World Cup 2026 and the Expanding Ebola Threat from the DRC: A Physician‑Communicator’s Warning.

As I participate in the 79th World Health Assembly and engage with global health leaders on the recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its spread into neighboring countries, I am reminded once again that disease does not respect borders, politics, or the comfort of our assumptions. It moves according to biology, ecology, and human behavior. And in 2026, the world is preparing for one of the largest mass‑gathering events in modern history—the North American World Cup.

Millions will travel. Among them will be thousands of supporters from African nations, including those from regions where Ebola has historically emerged and where new cases are now being reported. This is not a call for fear. It is a call for preparedness—something the world has repeatedly failed to prioritize until crisis is already upon us.

I have spent years working at the intersection of global health, governance, and communication. My work with Health Consulting International, my engagements with the World Health Organization, and my field deployments across the United States during COVID‑19 have taught me a simple truth: preparedness is not an event; it is a culture. And right now, that culture is dangerously weak.

The United States remains partially disengaged from the WHO. Coordination between WHO and the CDC is fractured. USAID’s global health capacity has been weakened by years of political disruption. These gaps matter. They matter because Ebola is not a theoretical threat. It is a real virus with a real chain of transmission, and it thrives in environments where surveillance is weak, communication is poor, and political will is inconsistent.

In my work, I often speak of the Five Ds—a framework that helps leaders understand the full landscape of a health threat:

Disease – the pathogen itself, its biology, its behavior.

Determinants – the social, political, economic, and environmental factors that shape vulnerability.

Distributions – where the disease is, where it is moving, and who is most at risk.

Diagnosis – the systems that detect, confirm, and report cases.

Drugs (Treatments) – the tools we have to respond, from vaccines to therapeutics to supportive care.

Applied to the current Ebola situation, the Five Ds reveal a troubling picture.The disease remains deadly.The determinants—conflict, displacement, weak health systems—are worsening in parts of Central Africa.The distribution is expanding across borders.The diagnostic capacity in many regions remains fragile.And while treatments exist, they are not universally accessible.

Now add the World Cup: a global convergence of people, cultures, and mobility.Mass gatherings amplify risk—not because travelers bring disease intentionally, but because pathogens exploit opportunity.

The world cannot afford complacency.North America cannot assume distance equals safety.And global institutions cannot continue operating in silos.

We need coordinated surveillance at points of entry.We need harmonized WHO–CDC protocols.We need USAID fully restored to its global health mandate.We need communication strategies that reach communities—not just governments.And above all, we need political courage.

I have seen what happens when preparedness is strong.I have also seen what happens when it is not.The difference between the two is measured not only in lives lost but in trust broken.

As the world turns its eyes toward the 2026 World Cup, I urge leaders to remember that global health security is not a luxury. It is the foundation upon which safe societies—and safe celebrations—are built.

The virus does not wait.Neither should we.

— Dr. Ntuba Akwo Thompson Global Physician‑CommunicatorHealth Consulting InternationalWorld Health Assembly Delegate