DR Congo Chile friendly cancellation sparks anger as officials call the decision unfair and disruptive to preparations for upcoming fixtures

La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain, Friday, June 5, 2026, saw the Democratic Republic of Congo national football team express strong dissatisfaction after authorities cancelled their planned international friendly against Chile, a decision officials say has disrupted preparations for upcoming competitions.

Also read: FIFA Monitors DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Closely

The DR Congo Chile friendly cancellation was confirmed after local authorities in southern Spain halted the fixture scheduled for June 9, citing health concerns linked to an Ebola outbreak in the Central African nation.

Mayor Juan Franco signed a decree enforcing the cancellation following advice from local health services, who reportedly warned of potential public health risks associated with hosting the match.

The decision has drawn frustration from the Congolese camp, which has been preparing for international duty outside the country for several weeks.

The squad has been training in Belgium, with officials noting that none of the 26 players currently in camp travelled directly from DR Congo.

Most members of the national team are based abroad, and officials insist the players present no health risk. They also noted that only some support staff or fans may have travelled from the country.

Speaking during a virtual press briefing organised by the World Health Organisation, DR Congo’s Minister of Communication Patrick Muyaya described the cancellation as damaging and questioned the fairness of the decision.

He argued that the DR Congo Chile friendly cancellation had not taken into account the full context of the team’s preparation environment, stressing that the squad had already spent weeks training in Europe.

Muyaya suggested the move could be viewed as discriminatory and said it had created unnecessary complications for the national team’s build-up to future international fixtures.

“The players have been in Belgium for about three weeks,” he said, adding that the decision had interrupted carefully planned preparations.

Also read: WHO Raises Alarm as Ebola Suspected Cases Surge in DR Congo

The DR Congo Football Federation is expected to review its options following the cancellation, as the team continues preparations for upcoming international assignments.