Iconic DR Congo fan ‘Lumumba’ denied US visa ahead of must-win World Cup match
DR Congo will have thousands of supporters behind them when they take on Uzbekistan in a must-win World Cup clash on Saturday. However, one fan will be watching from afar.
Michel Kuka Mboladinga, the country’s most celebrated supporter and iconic figure in African football, has been denied a visa to the United States and will miss the crucial Group K match in Atlanta. His absence means that one of the most unique sights of the tournament will be missing from the stands.
Disappointment comes just a few days later Mboladinga finally arrived at the World Cup after an earlier delay caused by travel restrictions linked to the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was present in Guadalajara for DR Congo’s narrow 1–0 defeat by Colombia, but new visa complications prevented him from traveling to the United States, where the team played in the final group stage match. Michel Kuka Mboladinga has become an internet sensation because of his antics. (Photo: Reuters)
The match is of huge importance for DR Congo, who need to beat Uzbekistan to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages of the World Cup. As the players prepare for one of the biggest games in the nation’s football history, one of their loudest symbols of support will instead be forced to cheer from the sidelines.
Despite the setback, Congolese ambassador to the United States Kapinga Yvette Ngandu remains hopeful that Mbolading’s World Cup journey is not over.
“I hope he will bring his own support to the team,” she told Reuters, adding that she hopes to get a visa if DR Congo qualifies for the knockout stage.
WHO IS DR CONGO SUPER FAN?
Long before he became a familiar face at the FIFA World Cup, Michel Kuka Mboladinga became one of African football’s most memorable supporters.
Nicknamed “Lumumba Vea”, Mboladinga rose to international prominence during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where television cameras repeatedly found him completely motionless during DR Congo matches. As thousands of supporters chanted, danced and waved flags around him, he remained frozen in place with one hand held high.
This is Michel Kuka Mboladinga, a supporter of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who remains motionless with his arm raised throughout the Congolese team’s match in honor of Patrice Lumumba, the African country’s independence leader.
@ubctvuganda pic.twitter.com/zh0cUSG6qi— LIBERTA DEPRE (@liberta___depre) June 17, 2026
The pose is no accident.
Mboladinga deliberately recreates the famous stance associated with Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one of the country’s most revered historical figures. His colorful suits in the national colors combined with his striking resemblance to Lumumba made him instantly recognizable wherever DR Congo plays.
His unflinching tribute captured imaginations across Africa during the continental championship and upon his return home he was honored with a jeep by the Congolese government in recognition of the attention he brought to the country.
WHY IS MBOLADINGA NOT IN THE US?
Mboladinga’s journey to the World Cup was affected by travel restrictions just like football.
His arrival in North America was initially delayed due to measures put in place for travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo following the Ebola outbreak at home. Government figures released on Friday reported 1,203 confirmed Ebola cases, including 321 deaths, prompting heightened travel protocols for visitors from the country.
Although he finally made it to Mexico and watched DR Congo’s defeat to Colombia from the stands in Guadalajara, he now encountered another obstacle.
United States authorities failed to grant him a visa in time for Saturday’s clash with Uzbekistan, leaving one of the World Cup’s most famous supporters unable to watch his team in one of the biggest games in their history.
Should DR Congo overcome the odds and reach the knockout stages, there is still hope that Mboladinga will finally make it to the United States. Until then, one of the unforgettable football fans will have no choice but to cheer for Team Leopards from afar.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
28 Jun 2026 02:58 IST