DR Congo national football team has cancelled its planned pre-World Cup training camp in Kinshasa following a deadly Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The team will now continue preparations in Belgium ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as health authorities battle the outbreak, which has reportedly claimed more than 130 lives.
According to officials, the outbreak has been declared a “public health emergency of international concern” by the World Health Organization, although it has not been classified as a global pandemic.
Team spokesperson Jerry Kalemo confirmed that the squad’s scheduled international friendly matches in Europe would still proceed as planned. DR Congo is preparing for its first World Cup appearance since 1974.
The Congolese side is expected to face the Denmark national football team in Belgium on June 3 before taking on the Chile national football team in Spain on June 9.
Authorities also linked the cancellation of the Kinshasa training camp to travel restrictions imposed by the United States, one of the co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada.
Under the restrictions, non-citizens who recently visited DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan are temporarily barred from entering the United States.
However, officials noted that the restrictions are unlikely to affect the national team since all players and head coach Sébastien Desabre are based outside the country.
The now-cancelled Kinshasa camp had been expected to attract supporters and top government officials, including President Félix Tshisekedi.
Health authorities continue to monitor the outbreak, which originated in Ituri Province in eastern DR Congo. While no cases have been recorded in Kinshasa, officials are still reconciling casualty figures.
The outbreak is linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine. The WHO says vaccine development for the strain could take several months.
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