The Democratic Republic of Congo’s pre-World Cup friendly against Chile, due to be played in Spain, has been canceled because of health concerns regarding the Ebola outbreak in the African country.
La Línea de la Concepción in the south of Spain, close to the border with Gibraltar, was set to host the match on June 9 at the town’s 10,000-capacity stadium.
However, the mayor of La Línea, Juan Franco, said Tuesday that he has been forced to postpone the fixture as a precaution following recommendations from the regional government’s health service.
“I have signed the decree banning the holding of the match between the DR Congo and Chile,” Juan Franco confirmed.
“A report by the head of the mayoralty’s health service of La Línea advised categorically against hosting the match given the health risks which might arise.”
Read more:All the 2026 World Cup group stage kit matchups revealed
The Spanish news agency EFE has reported that Chile have asked for the match to go ahead behind closed doors.
The DR Congo are appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 — when they featured as Zaire — but have had their preparations hit following the Ebola outbreak back home.
In May, they cancelled a three-day training camp and a planned farewell to fans in the capital Kinshasa because of the outbreak in the east of the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
Read more:Hamstring injury left Spain’s Lamine Yamal fearful of missing World Cup
As of May 27, the WHO said there had a total of 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths in the DR Congo from a rare type of Ebola known as Bundibugyo, which has also spread into Uganda.
Since canceling plans to prepare in the DR Congo, the team have been training in Belgium, where they are due to play Denmark in Liège on Wednesday.
Speaking to ESPN last month, Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, said Congo’s team must isolate for 21 days or risk the ability to enter the U.S. for the World Cup.
Giuliani said the U.S. has told FIFA, the Congolese national team and the Congolese government that the team must maintain a bubble in Belgium.
Read more:Sources: Hoyos to stay as Inter Miami coach post-World Cup
“We’ve been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11th,” he said.
“We’ve made it very clear to the Congo government as well, that they need to maintain that bubble or they risk not being able to travel to the United States. We cannot be any clearer.”
The finals kick off on June 11 in North America, with the DR Congo due to play their first match in Houston June 17 against Portugal.
They then face Colombia in Guadalajara, Mexico, on June 24 before taking on Uzbekistan back in the U.S. in Atlanta on June 28.
