A pre-World Cup friendly match involving the Democratic Republic of Congo has been cancelled by the mayor of La Línea de la Concepción, Spain in southern Spain, following concerns linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
The mayor, Juan Franco, confirmed that he had signed a formal order stopping the June 9 fixture between DR Congo and Chile from taking place, describing the decision as a safety-driven step.
“I have signed the decree banning the holding of the June 9 match between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile,” he said.
Franco explained that the move was taken strictly as a preventive action, adding that it followed guidance issued by health authorities in the Andalusia regional government.
He described the decision as a “precautionary measure,” noting that it was based on expert medical advice from the regional health service.
Local health officials also reportedly advised against allowing the match to proceed.
According to Franco, a municipal medical report strongly discouraged hosting the game due to potential health risks.
“A report by the head of the mayoralty’s health service of La Linea advised categorically against hosting the match given the health risks which might arise,” he said.
La Línea de la Concepción, a town of about 65,000 residents located near Gibraltar, was expected to host the international friendly as part of DR Congo’s build-up to the World Cup.
The cancellation comes amid heightened global attention on DR Congo’s preparations after the country confirmed an Ebola outbreak last month in its eastern region.
The outbreak has already affected team logistics, forcing changes to training arrangements.
The national team has been operating from Belgium after abandoning a planned home training camp due to health concerns linked to the outbreak.
Authorities in the United States have also introduced strict health requirements ahead of the World Cup, including isolation rules for the DR Congo squad before entry into the country.
The team, which is returning to the World Cup for the first time since its appearance as Zaire in 1974, is still scheduled to play other preparatory matches in Europe, including fixtures in Belgium, as it continues its build-up to the tournament.
