Zambia Internationals to Miss NWSL Games Due to Ebola Travel Restrictions

Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda and other Zambian internationals face a 21-day quarantine after playing an Olympic qualifier in Uganda on Oct. 8.

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, Chicago Stars forward Racheal Kundananji, and Angel City FC forward Prisca Chilufya are expected to miss several weeks of NWSL play due to a mandatory 21-day U.S. reentry restriction. The CDC currently bans foreign nationals who have been in Uganda within the last 21 days because of an Ebola outbreak. The three players represented Zambia in an Olympic qualifying match held in Uganda on Oct. 8.

Banda is currently the second-leading scorer in the NWSL with 17 goals. Her club, Orlando, sits nine points out of a playoff spot with three games remaining. Chilufya has recorded five goals and one assist in 24 games for Angel City, while Kundananji was recently traded to the Chicago Stars from Bay FC prior to the league's roster freeze.

Unless the U.S. government grants an exception, the quarantine period will last until approximately Oct. 30, depending on each player's specific departure date from Uganda. This timeline leaves players unavailable until just before the NWSL regular season concludes on Nov. 1. The NWSL confirmed in a statement on Friday that the affected players are in excellent health and that the league is working with U.S. immigration officials regarding their return.

Washington Spirit forward Rosemonde Kouassi avoided similar restrictions despite Ivory Coast playing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is also subject to the 21-day CDC rule. The Spirit did not release Kouassi for the first leg in Congo; she instead joined Ivory Coast for the second leg and has already returned to Washington, D.C.