DR Congo vs Chile World Cup Friendly Canceled Over Ebola Health Concerns

• DR Congo’s planned World Cup warm-up match against Chile in Spain has been canceled because of health concerns linked to the Ebola outbreak in the African nation.
• Local authorities in La Línea de la Concepción blocked the fixture following recommendations from regional health officials.
• DR Congo’s World Cup preparations continue to be disrupted as the team remains in a controlled training bubble in Belgium ahead of the tournament.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s pre-World Cup friendly against Chile, scheduled to take place in southern Spain, has been canceled because of health concerns surrounding the Ebola outbreak affecting the African country.

The match had been due to take place on June 9 at the 10,000-capacity stadium in La Línea de la Concepción, near the border with Gibraltar. However, local authorities confirmed on Tuesday that the fixture would not go ahead following health recommendations.

Mayor Juan Franco announced the decision after receiving advice from the town’s health service.

“I have signed the decree banning the holding of the match between the DR Congo and Chile,” Franco said.

“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.”

According to Spanish news agency EFE, Chile requested that the game be played behind closed doors, but the proposal was ultimately rejected.

The cancellation represents another setback for DR Congo as the nation prepares for its first World Cup appearance since 1974, when the country competed under the name Zaire.

Preparations for the tournament have already been heavily disrupted by the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country. In May, DR Congo canceled a planned three-day training camp and a farewell event for supporters in the capital city of Kinshasa.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

As of May 27, the WHO reported 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has also spread into neighboring Uganda.

Following the cancellation of domestic preparations, DR Congo relocated its training base to Belgium, where the squad remains ahead of the World Cup. The team is scheduled to face Denmark in a friendly match in Liège on Wednesday.

The outbreak has also led to international scrutiny regarding DR Congo’s participation in the tournament. Last month, White House Task Force executive director Andrew Giuliani confirmed the United States had imposed strict requirements on the team before entry into the country.

Giuliani said DR Congo’s squad must remain isolated in a secure bubble in Belgium for 21 days or risk being denied entry to the United States.

“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,” Giuliani told ESPN.

“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 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

DR Congo are set to open their Group K campaign against Portugal in Houston on June 17 before facing Colombia in Guadalajara on June 24. Their final group-stage fixture will be against Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 28.