The national team of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has cancelled its planned preparation camp in the capital city of Kinshasa ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup amid the spread of the Ebola virus inside the country.
A source from inside the DR Congo national team explained the reason behind the cancellation in exclusive statements to SportsAfrica
“The team’s preparation in Kinshasa (May 24 to 27) with a session open to the public was canceled for health reasons in the country. The European phase continues with two friendly matches against Denmark on the 3rd in Liège and against Chile on June 9, until the match in Houston on June 17.”
Health authorities had announced last Friday a new Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo, with the virus considered dangerous infectious diseases due to its potentially fatal consequences in some cases.
According to a Congolese report, the current outbreak — the 17th in the country’s history — is believed to have caused 139 deaths from nearly 600 suspected cases.
Meanwhile, a United States official confirmed that the Congolese national team will still be permitted to enter the country and participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to Agence France-Presse.
The tournament will be hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
DR Congo have been drawn in Group K alongside Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.
