The Democratic Republic of Congo national team remains focused on its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite uncertainty surrounding its scheduled international friendly against Chile.
Head coach Sebastien Desabre confirmed that the squad departed for Spain on Thursday following the completion of a 10-day training camp in Belgium.
The Congolese side rounded off the camp with a goalless draw against Denmark in a World Cup warm-up match on Wednesday.
However, plans for their friendly encounter with Chile have been thrown into doubt after authorities in the Spanish town of La Linea de la Concepcion declined permission for the match to be staged there.
The decision was linked to concerns surrounding the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of DR Congo.
Despite the setback, Desabre remains optimistic that the fixture will still take place at an alternative venue.
“We are determined to play the match and are currently exploring other options,” the coach said.
“We are confident a solution will be found, even if the game has to be played behind closed doors.”
The Congolese Football Federation also issued a statement stressing that the national team has met all required health, sporting and administrative regulations.
The federation said efforts are ongoing to ensure the match against Chile proceeds as planned.
Desabre acknowledged that the Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has affected members of the squad emotionally.
According to the World Health Organization, hundreds of confirmed cases and dozens of deaths have been recorded during the outbreak.
“The players have been deeply affected by the situation back home,” he said. “We want to continue our work and represent our country positively during this difficult period.”
Following their stay in Spain, DR Congo will establish its World Cup base in Houston, United States.
The Leopards will begin their Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17 before taking on Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23 and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27.
