Juan Franco Cancels DR Congo‑Chile Friendly Over Ebola Fears

Mayor Juan Franco announced the cancellation of the pre‑World Cup friendly between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile. The match was slated for 9 June in La Línea de la Concepción, southern Spain. Health concerns stem from an Ebola outbreak that occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo last month. Spanish authorities deemed the risk unacceptable for the scheduled fixture. The Democratic Republic of Congo had been based in Belgium in the run‑up to the World Cup. The team’s preparation camp was located there before traveling to Spain. Juan Franco signed a decree formally banning the 9 June match. The decree was issued by the municipal government of La Línea de la Concepción. Both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile will need to find alternative warm‑up opponents before the tournament. The cancellation leaves their pre‑tournament schedules open.