2026 W/Cup: DR Congo Cancel Training Camp, Planned Farewell To Fans Over Ebola Outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national football team has called off a three‑day training camp and a planned farewell event for supporters in Kinshasa because of an Ebola outbreak in the country’s eastern region, Global News reports.

The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak—caused by a rare virus in Congo and Uganda—a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday. The agency has documented at least 139 suspected deaths and more than 600 suspected cases.

Congo’s World Cup warm‑up matches against Denmark in Liège, Belgium, on June 3 and Chile in southern Spain on June 9 are proceeding as scheduled, 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 Liège and Chile in Spain, and the third stage from June 11 in Houston, United States. Only one stage was cancelled—the one in Kinshasa,” Kalemo said.

The squad and head coach Sébastien Desabre are based outside the central African country, with most players in France.

Kalemo added that some team staff in Congo were “leaving in the next hours” on Wednesday.

A FIFA spokesperson told The New York Times that the organization is “aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the DR Congo Football Association to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance.”

The White House World Cup task force, housed under the Department of Homeland Security, said it is “coordinating closely” with various agencies on health and security matters and that the government is “closely monitoring” the outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that the United States will ban entry for all foreign nationals who have been in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past three weeks. The ban will last for 30 days.

“It’s been confined right now to Africa but it’s something that’s had a breakout,” U.S. President Donald Trump said about the Ebola outbreak on Monday while speaking to the press.

A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the Congolese World Cup team would not be affected by the CDC entry ban because it has been training in Europe for the past several weeks.