The preparation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo towards the 2026 World Cup continues to be marked by difficulties. After the cancellation of the friendly against Chile in Spanish territory due to health precautions due to the Ebola outbreak in the African country, the match will finally be played this Tuesday, June 9 in Orleans, France.
The match, which was originally scheduled in La Línea de la Concepción, Cádiz, was rejected by local Spanish authorities after evaluating the risks associated with the Ebola outbreak detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to Spanish media reports, the Ministry of Health did not authorize the meeting due to “sanitary prudence”, which forced both federations to look for a new emergency venue.
After intense negotiations, it was confirmed that the duel will be played at the Stade de la Source in Orleans at 9:00 a.m. in Guatemala and behind closed doors, without the presence of the public.
A complicated path for the Congo
The African team, which will compete in the World Cup again after 52 years, has had to drastically modify its planning. He abandoned his concentration in Kinshasa due to the Ebola outbreak, moved to Europe—mainly Belgium—and now faces constant logistical changes. The team was even concentrated in Marbella, Malaga, before traveling to France this Monday.
Chile, for its part, comes to this match after losing 2-1 to Portugal on the FIFA Matchday. La Roja, directed by Nicolás Córdova, seeks to close this international window with positive sensations and minutes of filming before the start of the 2026 World Cup.
This friendly becomes one of the last tests for the Democratic Republic of the Congo before its participation in the 2026 World Cup. For Chile, it represents an opportunity to continue evaluating players and fine-tune tactical aspects for their next international commitments.