A planned international friendly between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chile has been called off after local authorities in Spain raised concerns over the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the African country.
The match, scheduled for June 9 in the southern Spanish town of La Línea de la Concepción, was cancelled following a directive issued by the town’s mayor, Juan Franco.
Franco said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure after receiving recommendations from regional health authorities and local medical officials.
According to the mayor, health experts advised against hosting the fixture due to the potential public health risks associated with the Ebola outbreak currently affecting parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The town, located near the border with Gibraltar and home to about 65,000 residents, opted to prioritize public safety despite the significance of the match as part of both teams’ preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The cancellation is the latest disruption to DR Congo’s World Cup preparations. The African nation, which qualified for its first World Cup appearance since competing as Zaire in 1974, had earlier abandoned plans to hold a pre-tournament training camp on home soil after the outbreak was declared in mid-May.
Instead, the Congolese squad has established a temporary base in Belgium, where it is expected to continue preparations.
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The team is scheduled to face Denmark in a friendly match in the Belgian city of Liège.
Concerns over the outbreak have also prompted stricter travel requirements ahead of the tournament.
United States authorities announced in May that members of the Congolese delegation would be required to complete a 21-day isolation period before being permitted entry into the country for the World Cup.
The 2026 tournament, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19.
DR Congo will be based in Houston during the competition and are set to begin their campaign in Group K against Portugal on June 17.
They will then travel to Guadalajara to face Colombia before returning to the United States for their final group-stage match against Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
Despite the latest setback, Congolese officials remain focused on ensuring the team is fully prepared for its long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage.