2026 World Cup’s Three Host Nations Step Up Health Surveillance; Experts: Ebola Risk Is Extremely Low

Updated: 2026-06-19｜Real-time information is subject to official announcements

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, with the tournament kicking off on June 11 and running all the way to July 19. As millions of fans move across borders, public health safeguards during the event have also become a focus of discussion — and the “Ebola risk” that various media outlets have recently singled out is in fact just a small piece of the overall picture on disease prevention.

Let’s be clear about the bottom line first: according to the risk assessment released by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Ebola virus is rated as an “extremely low” risk in Canada. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) deems the local risk to be elevated in outbreak areas such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, it keeps the risk assessment at the global level at “low.” Numerous public health experts have also reiterated publicly that Ebola has a relatively high transmission threshold (requiring direct contact with a patient’s bodily fluids), and that combined with the structure of the tournament and entry monitoring, the probability of it spreading in the North American host nations is very small. In other words, the headline phrase “Experts: Ebola risk is extremely low” holds up.

What is really putting Canada’s public health authorities on edge is, instead, measles. PHAC this time took stock of 14 pathogens that could be brought into the country during the event (covering avian and swine flu, Mpox, poliovirus, Marburg virus, Ebola and Sudan virus, and more), and among them listed measles as the only “high” risk and the top concern. The reasoning is straightforward: measles is widely distributed worldwide, spreads through the air, and is extremely contagious, while Canada only recently lost its “measles elimination” status. The crowds brought by the tournament and the fan festivals are precisely what raises the possibility of it being imported again and spreading into communities. Ranking behind it, Mpox was assessed as a “moderate” risk, with transmission still primarily through intimate contact. So if you only keep your eye on Ebola, you will instead miss what officials are really flagging.

How is the surveillance being done? Both of Canada’s host cities — Toronto (BMO Field) and Vancouver (BC Place) — have already activated enhanced disease surveillance. Both cities already routinely test wastewater for respiratory viruses (such as COVID, flu and RSV), and this time they are extending the monitoring network to the stadiums, the fan festivals and the areas around the teams’ training grounds; Toronto is also drawing on laboratory staff from the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University to help. The pressure is especially heavy on the Vancouver side, with an estimated 350,000 out-of-town visitors expected to pour in, on top of local spectators who are planning to attend at least one match. Because the measles incubation period is roughly one to three weeks, officials have also stated that they will continue monitoring for a period of time after Vancouver’s final match wraps up — a point worth noting for fans planning their itineraries.

One thing that needs to be clarified in particular is that the “screening at specific airports upon entry” measure circulating online is a U.S. rule, not a Canadian one. The U.S. side requires travellers who have been in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days to enter through Atlanta, Houston or Washington Dulles airports and undergo health screening. Spectators planning to cross from the United States into Canada, or whose itineraries themselves involve these areas, are advised to set aside time for this procedure. As for whether Canada will add quarantine or health-certificate requirements for specific travellers, there is no final decision yet, and the latest announcements from PHAC and the provincial health authorities should still be treated as authoritative.

On the viewing front, in Canada Bell Media has secured the broadcasting rights, with English-language coverage of all matches airing on TSN and CTV, and streaming available through platforms such as TSN+ and Crave. For those who want to stay home and watch, confirming the channels and subscription plans early will bring more peace of mind; lodging and in-city transport during the peak of the tournament are likewise best arranged as early as possible — accommodation in Vancouver and Toronto during match periods in particular has always been snapped up fast. For more complete viewing information, you can refer to our compiled complete Canada World Cup viewing guide and live match information lookup.

Finally, a reminder: this article is compiled from publicly available health information and media reports, and is for general reference only and does not constitute medical advice. Epidemics are a dynamic situation, and risk assessments will be adjusted as the latest information comes in. Before departing, please treat the official announcements from PHAC, WHO and FIFA as authoritative.