Famous DR Congo statue fan denied US visa ahead of England game

Popular Democratic Republic of Congo statue fan Michel Nkuka Mboladinga , widely known as Lumumba, has been denied entry to the United States to watch his country’s game against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to the Daily Mail, the fan was denied a visa due to an Ebola outbreak in DR Congo. US authorities are working diligently to prevent a possible spread or infection, leaving him stranded in Mexico.

Lumumba will therefore miss his country’s Round of 32 fixture against the Three Lions in Atlanta, where he was expected to feature at the venue on July 1, 2026.

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Reports suggest his absence will be symbolically replaced by a Gen Z version, who will stand in his role and perform the statue act for 90 minutes to honor him.

Mboladinga is known for wearing a bright red jacket and tie, a yellow shirt, and blue trousers, colors drawn from the DR Congo flag.

He typically climbs onto a pedestal before matches, raising his right arm aloft in a pose that replicates the statue of Patrice Lumumba in Kinshasa, DR Congo’s capital.

This incident adds to the growing list of visa denial issues affecting officials and fans at the 2026 World Cup in the United States and Canada, which has sparked controversies and criticisms worldwide.

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