DR Congo to play final World Cup warm-up against Chile in Orleans
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Congo defender Chancel Mbemba reacts at the end of the international friendly football match against Denmark ahead of the World Cup football tournament at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne in Liege on June 3, 2026.
AFP
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s final World Cup warm-up fixture against Chile will take place behind closed doors in the French city of Orleans on June 9, a team spokesperson has confirmed.
The game had originally been scheduled for Cadiz in Spain, but the city’s mayor cancelled it due to concerns over the Ebola virus outbreak in the central African country.
The squad are preparing for the global finals in the Spanish city of Marbella having completed a 10-day training camp in Belgium, where they played to a 0-0 draw with Denmark on June 3.
United States officials told players and officials they needed to have been outside the DRC for 21 days and symptom free before they would be allowed to enter the country to participate in the World Cup.
None of the 26-player squad plies his trade in the DRC as most play for clubs in Europe, while a handful of officials have travelled from the country to be in camp. All individuals are compliant, according to team officials.
After Spain, the Congolese team will travel to their World Cup base in Houston on June 11. They open their Group K campaign against Portugal six days later, before facing Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23 and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27.
As at June 6, the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country had increased to 488, including 86 deaths. REUTERS
