LA LÍNEA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN, Spain, June 3, 2026 — A planned international friendly match between Congo and Chile has been cancelled due to concerns over the spread of the Ebola virus, disrupting Congo’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match had been scheduled to take place on June 9 in the southern Spanish city of La Línea de la Concepción. However, local authorities revoked permission to host the fixture after receiving recommendations from Andalusia’s regional health department and the municipality’s medical services.
La Línea Mayor Juan Franco announced the decision, citing public health concerns stemming from the recent Ebola outbreak in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As part of their World Cup preparations, the Congolese national team had initially planned a training camp in Kinshasa but later relocated to Belgium following the outbreak. Most members of the squad play for clubs outside the country and have not recently traveled to Congo. Nevertheless, some support staff and supporters have traveled from Congo to Europe, prompting health-related concerns among local authorities.
The cancellation represents a significant setback for Congo, which qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974. The team had hoped to use the friendly against Chile as a key tune-up ahead of the tournament.
In response to the outbreak, several countries have tightened travel measures. U.S. public health authorities recently announced that non-American citizens who have visited Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days would not be permitted to enter the United States.
During the World Cup, Congo plans to base itself in Houston, Texas. The African side is scheduled to open its Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17, before facing Colombia in Mexico and Uzbekistan in Atlanta in its remaining group-stage matches.
The cancellation highlights the broader impact that public health emergencies can have on international sporting events, even as teams intensify preparations for football’s biggest tournament.
