Adedokun Waliyu 
A planned pre-World Cup friendly match between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile has been cancelled by the mayor of a Spanish town because of concerns over the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.
Juan Franco, mayor of La Línea de la Concepción, announced that he had signed a decree prohibiting the match, which was scheduled to take place on June 9.
According to Franco, the decision was taken as a precautionary measure based on recommendations from the health authorities of the Andalusia regional government. He added that the municipality’s health service also advised against hosting the game due to potential health risks.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, which has qualified for its first World Cup since participating as Zaire in 1974, is currently preparing for the tournament in Europe. The team cancelled plans for a training camp in their home country following the Ebola outbreak and has instead been based in Belgium.
The Ebola outbreak was declared in eastern DR Congo in mid-May. As a result, health concerns have affected the team’s preparations for the World Cup.
Despite the cancellation in Spain, DR Congo remain scheduled to play a friendly match against Denmark in Liège.
United States authorities have reportedly required the Congolese squad to undergo a 21-day isolation period before entering the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
During the tournament, DR Congo are expected to be based in Houston. Their Group K fixtures include matches against Portugal on June 17, Colombia on June 24 in Guadalajara, and Uzbekistan on June 28 in Atlanta.
The cancellation highlights the impact the Ebola outbreak is having on international sporting activities involving DR Congo as the country prepares for its return to the World Cup stage.
