The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which President Trump has strongly supported, is seeing thousands of empty seats in the early matches.
Many stadiums are far from full. One of the main reasons is the strict Ebola travel measures. Because of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Africa, the US, Canada, and Mexico have imposed tough quarantine rules and entry restrictions. This has reduced the number of fans traveling from certain countries and created fear among others.
High ticket prices are also a big problem, but the Ebola rules have made the situation worse.
The second game of the World Cup saw empty seats visible throughout the stands for South Korea’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic. https://t.co/SsVb8lh7OI
— NBC10 Boston (@NBC10Boston) June 12, 2026
Euronews on empty seats and Ebola impact: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/06/11/watch-empty-seats-and-closed-borders-fifas-high-stakes-bet-on-a-divided-america
Newsweek on Ebola and World Cup: https://www.newsweek.com/ebola-outbreak-2026-world-cup-donald-trump-europe-12051272
Reuters on travel restrictions: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-mexico-canada-announce-ebola-related-travel-measures-ahead-world-cup-2026-05-28/