Congo’s soccer team has canceled a three-day World Cup preparation training camp and a planned farewell to fans in the capital Kinshasa because of an outbreak of Ebola in the east of the country.
Preparations will take place elsewhere after an outbreak of a rare type of Ebola known as Bundibugyo, which is thought to have killed more than 130 people and caused nearly 600 suspected cases.
The World Health Organization has declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
Congo is scheduled to play World Cup-warmup games against Denmark in Liege, Belgium on June 3 and Chile in southern Spain on June 9. Both matches are going ahead as planned, team spokesman Jerry Kalemo told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
“There were three stages of preparation: in Kinshasa to say goodbye to the public, Belgium and Spain with two friendly matches against Denmark in Liege and Chile in Spain, and the third stage from June 11 in Houston, United States. Only one stage was canceled – the one in Kinshasa,” Kalemo said.
All of the Congo players and the team’s French coach, Sébastien Desabre, are based outside of the central African country with most of them playing in France.
Some team staff who are based in Congo “are leaving in the next hours,” Kalemo said.
Soccer’s governing body FIFA issued a statement that “it is aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the Congo DR Football Association to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance.
“FIFA continues to work with all three FIFA World Cup 2026 host countries’ governments, including the US Department of State, CDC and Department of Homeland Security, Mexico’s Secretariat of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as with the World Health Organization, to ensure a safe and secure tournament, as the health of all individuals involved remains FIFA’s priority.”
Congo, which qualified for the World Cup after winning a playoff tournament in Mexico, has been drawn in Group K. It faces Portugal for its opening game in Houston on June 17.
The Leopards then face Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23 before playing Uzbekistan in Atlanta for their final group game on June 27.
Congo’s first World Cup qualification since 1974, when it was called Zaire, sparked scenes of jubilation across the nation, which has been battered by decades of conflict.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
