The Democratic Republic of Congo's national team has cancelled its World Cup preparation training camp and buildup events in Kinshasa, including a planned send-off ceremony with President Felix Tshisekedi, due to an Ebola virus outbreak. Preparations will now continue in Belgium, and an event scheduled for May 25 will take place in Brussels instead of Kinshasa. Team manager Dodo Landu indicated that the change is not significant as the team only had three days planned in the capital.
The decision comes amid an outbreak of a rare Ebola species known as Bundibugyo, which has caused 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths. The World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern. Additionally, the U.S. CDC has prohibited entry for non-U.S. passport holders who have been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days. As a result, team staff based in DR Congo are required to leave the country by Thursday to be allowed into the U.S. unrestricted.
The squad, consisting of players based at clubs outside of DR Congo—primarily in Europe—plans to arrive in the U.S. on June 10 or 11. The team will be based in Houston, Texas, where the Texas Department of State Health Services is working with the CDC, FIFA, and local health departments to ensure safety. While friendlies against Denmark and Chile will still proceed, the team's World Cup campaign will begin with a match against Portugal in Houston, followed by games against Colombia in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.