A planned World Cup warm-up match involving the Democratic Republic of Congo has been cancelled after the mayor of the Spanish town due to host the fixture cited health concerns linked to the Ebola outbreak in the African nation.
Juan Franco, mayor of La Línea de la Concepción in Andalusia, announced the decision on Monday.
‘I have signed the decree banning the holding of the 9 June match between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile,’ he said.
Franco described the move as a ‘precautionary measure’ and said it followed guidance issued by the Andalusian regional health authorities.
The mayor of La Línea, a town of around 65,000 residents located near the border with Gibraltar, added that the municipality’s own medical officials had also advised against staging the game.
‘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.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, who have qualified for their first World Cup since appearing as Zaire at the 1974 tournament, are due to face Denmark in a friendly in Liège, Belgium, on Wednesday.
The Congolese squad abandoned plans for a pre-World Cup training camp on home soil after an Ebola outbreak struck the country last month. Instead, the team has been preparing in Belgium.
The outbreak of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever was officially declared in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in mid-May.
On 22 May, US authorities announced that Congo’s players would be required to complete a 21-day isolation period before being permitted to enter the United States for the World Cup. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July and is being jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. ALSO READ: Goldman Sachs model tips Spain to win 2026 World Cup ahead of France and Argentina.
DR Congo intend to base themselves in Houston during the competition, where they are scheduled to open their Group K campaign against Portugal on 17 June.
They will then travel to Guadalajara in Mexico for a match against Colombia on 24 June before returning to the United States to face Uzbekistan in Atlanta on 28 June. ALSO READ: Spain heads to World Cup without any Real Madrid players as Barça dominates squad.
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El alcalde confirma que si no hay respuestas a sus peticiones de garantías para la celebración del partido entre Congo y Chile mañana dictará un decreto denegando su celebración en el municipio.
— Ayuntamiento de La Línea de la Concepción (@Ayto_LaLinea) June 1, 2026
https://t.co/cSZrzmyKBh pic.twitter.com/tYWxPGukJm
El alcalde de La Línea de la Concepción (sur de España), Juan Franco, dicta un decreto por el que no autoriza la celebración en ese municipio del partido de fútbol amistoso entre República Democrática del Congo y Chile, el 9 de junio, por el brote de ébola en el país africano. pic.twitter.com/D1R6V6VfRM
— EFE África (@EFEafrica) June 2, 2026
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