The Spanish city of La Línea de la Concepción has refused to host a friendly between Congo and Chile, citing the ongoing Ebola outbreak that has alarmed health officials and led the mayor to deny authorization for the match.
Ebola’s expanding footprint
Congo’s football federation is now in talks with the Spanish federation and global governing body FIFA to locate an alternative venue and opponent for a warm‑up before the World Cup.
The team had already called off a three‑day training camp in Kinshasa and a fan‑farewell event, and all players plus French coach Sébastien Desabre are currently based in Europe, most of them in French clubs.
An Ebola strain has spread across eastern Congo and into neighboring Uganda, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern.
Despite the health setbacks, Congo’s qualification for the group stage — facing Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan — has sparked jubilation across a nation long plagued by conflict.