A pre-World Cup friendly between DR Congo and Chile scheduled for 9 June in southern Spain has been cancelled after local authorities cited health risks linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Juan Franco, mayor of La Línea de la Concepción — a coastal town of around 65,000 people in the Andalusian province of Cádiz, near the border with Gibraltar — signed a decree on 2 June formally prohibiting the match from taking place at the municipal stadium. The decision was made on the advice of both the Andalusian regional health service and the town's own medical department, whose chief health official was said to have "categorically" advised against hosting the fixture.
DR Congo's squad, known as the Léopards, are currently based in Belgium after cancelling a planned pre-tournament training camp in the capital, Kinshasa, due to the Ebola outbreak in the east of the country. While the players themselves — all of whom are based at clubs outside DR Congo — are not believed to have recently visited their homeland, some support staff and fans have travelled from there. The team is still scheduled to face Denmark in a friendly in the Belgian city of Liège on Wednesday before the cancelled Spain fixture would have served as their final warm-up match.
The outbreak in eastern DR Congo has been caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a relatively rare species for which no approved vaccine currently exists. The World Health Organisation has warned that developing one could take up to nine months. The United States public health agency has already banned entry to non-Americans who have been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
The cancellation is a significant disruption for a side with much to prove. DR Congo are participating in the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they competed under the country's former name, Zaïre. They will open their Group K campaign against Portugal in Houston on 17 June, before travelling to Guadalajara, Mexico, to face Colombia on 23 June and then returning to the United States to take on Uzbekistan in Atlanta on 27 June.
The incident highlights the broader challenges facing health authorities and sporting organisers as the Ebola outbreak continues. With the tournament less than three weeks away, questions remain about the management of public health risks surrounding travelling delegations — and whether further precautionary measures could affect DR Congo's already disrupted preparations.