LA LÍNEA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN — The mayor of La Línea de la Concepción, Juan Franco, canceled the scheduled friendly football match between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chile on June 9. The match was set to take place at the Estadio Municipal de la Línea de la Concepción in Cádiz.
Franco cited health concerns linked to an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the reason for the cancellation. "We regret having had to make this decision, as the match is an attraction for the city, but we understand that the health situation in Congo and the documentation that has been provided, which does not quite justify that there are no risks of any kind," Franco said. He added, "The decision is the most prudent."
The cancellation followed a report from the Andalusian Regional Government's Ministry of Health’s Director General of Public Health and the City Council's Health Service that "completely advises against holding this match due to the potential health risks." As of June 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 321 confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 48 confirmed deaths and 116 suspected cases. The outbreak was declared in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in mid-May. On May 17, World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the outbreak "a public health emergency of international concern."
Chilean national team manager Felipe Correa expressed interest in rescheduling the match under modified conditions. "We are in talks with the Congolese Football Federation, the match agent, and the stadium owner to play it behind closed doors. The idea is to play it in Spain; it's feasible to play without an audience. DR Congo has already undergone testing, and we want to take advantage of the competitive situation to hold the tournament," Correa said.
Due to the outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo national football team canceled a planned pre-World Cup training camp in their home country and has instead been based in Belgium. The team’s federation has stated that it is compliant with protocols laid out by host nations for the World Cup, and FIFA has maintained communication with the federation to relay the latest medical and safety requirements.