An outbreak of Ebola pandemic among some countries affiliated to Rugby Africa could affect the organization’s calendar in 2026.

Already, one tournament, Rugby Africa Women’s Cup has been staged in Nairobi, Kenya but the next tournament, the Africa Men’s Sevens tournament which was supposed to be held in Mauritius has been postponed.

Uganda set the alarm bells ringing when on June 10, 2026, Godwin Kayangwe, the Uganda Rugby Union president signed a three paragraph press release announcing the withdrawal of the Rugby Cranes from the competition in Mauritius. 

Temporary Prohibition

He explained that the decision was taken as a precaution following an outbreak of Ebola pandemic “and a temporary prohibition of entry into Mauritius of foreign nationals traveling from or transiting through, or who have been present in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.” The statement reiterated safety of players and supporters was important.

Uganda was immediately replaced by Senegal as Rugby Africa monitored the situation. Almost immediately after Uganda’s withdrawal, Rugby Africa issued a statement and announced the tournament had been postponed. 

Extracts of the statement read: “The Africa Men’s Sevens in Mauritius has been postponed following public health guidance. With safety as the top priority, the decision was taken as a precautionary measure in light of evolving health considerations in the region.”

Comprehensive Statement

A comprehensive five-paragraph statement by Rugby Africa clarified that no Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases had been reported among participating teams, officials, tournament staff, or within Mauritius. As a result, Rugby Africa was working closely with Mauritius and World Rugby as well as the relevant authorities to evaluate alternative dates for the tournament. 

Recommendations for the postponement were made by the hosts following official communication by Mauritian health authorities, and tournament medical officials.

Surveillance Plan

At the time the announcement was made, Rugby Africa had developed and implemented a comprehensive health surveillance plan , and remained fully committed to hosting the event in accordance with all health, and safety requirements.

Already, Rugby Africa is considering starting a 7s circuit with three tournaments in Kenya, Zimbabwe/Zambia, and a third venue being considered.