DR Congo’s World Cup warm-up moved behind closed doors over Ebola fears

DR Congo World Cup Warm-Up Against Chile Moved to Orleans, Played Behind Closed Doors

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s final World Cup warm-up match against Chile will take place behind closed doors in the French city of Orleans on Tuesday, as the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC continues to cast a shadow over the team’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.reuters

Venue Shifted After Spanish Ban

The match was originally scheduled for June 9 in La Línea de la Concepción in southern Spain before the city’s mayor, Juan Franco, signed a decree banning the fixture as a “precautionary measure” based on recommendations from Andalusian regional health authorities. “I have just signed a decree prohibiting the match,” Franco said in an audio message released by his office, citing potential public health risks linked to the Ebola outbreak.aljazeera

Chile’s squad manager Felipe Correa pushed for the game to proceed without fans, and DRC coach Sebastien Desabre said his team was prepared to adapt. “We want to play the game and now we are looking for an alternative which we are confident we will find, even if we have to play the game behind closed doors,” Desabre said after the team’s 0-0 draw with Denmark in Liège, Belgium, on June 4.straitstimes

Ebola Concerns Loom Over World Cup

The outbreak in eastern DRC, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. The World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency of international concern on May 17 and has said a vaccine could take up to nine months to develop. As of late May, the WHO reported over 900 suspected cases and more than 220 suspected deaths in the DRC, with the virus also spreading to Uganda.who

The United States, which co-hosts the tournament with Canada and Mexico beginning June 11, requires DRC’s squad and officials to spend 21 days outside the country and remain symptom-free before entry. The Congolese team canceled a pre-tournament training camp in Kinshasa and has instead been preparing in Belgium, with nearly all players based in Europe.bbc

Road to Group K

The DRC, appearing at the World Cup for the first time since 1974 when they competed as Zaire, will be based in Houston during the tournament. They open their Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17, followed by Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23 and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27.aljazeera