Spanish mayor bans DR Congo pre-World Cup 2026 sport in La Linea de la Concepcion as a consequence of Ebola fears.
Printed On 2 Jun 2026
A pre-World Cup pleasant involving the Democratic Republic of Congo has been cancelled by the mayor of the Spanish city internet hosting the soccer match over well being considerations relating to the Ebola outbreak within the African nation.
“I’ve signed the decree banning the holding of the June 9 match between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile,” mentioned Juan Franco, mayor of La Linea de la Concepcion in southern Spain.
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Franco mentioned it was a “precautionary measure” and he was following suggestions by the Andalusia regional authorities’s well being service.
The mayor of La Linea, which has a inhabitants of 65,000 and is near the border with Gibraltar, added that the top of the municipality’s medical service had additionally suggested towards holding the match.
“A report by the top of the mayoralty’s well being service of La Linea suggested categorically towards internet hosting the match given the well being dangers which could come up,” he mentioned.
The DR Congo – who’ve certified for his or her first World Cup since they featured within the 1974 version as Zaire – are set to play a pleasant towards Denmark in Liege, Belgium, on Wednesday.
The crew cancelled a deliberate pre-World Cup coaching camp at residence after the nation was hit by an Ebola outbreak final month, and gamers have been based mostly in Belgium as a substitute. The African nation’s soccer federation has mentioned the crew are compliant with protocols laid out by the host nations for the World Cup.
The outbreak of the extremely contagious haemorrhagic fever was declared in japanese DR Congo in mid-Could.
US authorities mentioned on Could 22 that Congo’s squad should isolate for 21 days earlier than they’d be allowed into america for the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 and is being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
DR Congo’s gamers plan to be based mostly throughout the event in Houston, Texas within the US, the place they may play their first Group Okay match on June 17 towards Portugal.
DR Congo are then scheduled to move to Guadalajara, Mexico, to play Colombia on June 24 earlier than returning to the US to play Uzbekistan in Atlanta, Georgia on June 28.
