The DR Congo national team, drawn in the same group as Uzbekistan for the 2026 World Cup, has faced an unexpected situation ahead of the tournament. The African side was forced to cancel its planned domestic training camp and a farewell event with fans.
Jerry Kalemo, an official representative of the DR Congo team, stated that the decision was made due to sanitary risks associated with the outbreak of the Ebola virus in the country.
He noted that preparations for the World Cup were to be organized in three stages. The first stage was planned to include a farewell event with fans and a short camp in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa. The second stage was scheduled to take place in Belgium and Spain, featuring two friendly matches against Denmark and Chile. The third stage is expected to begin on June 11 in Houston, USA.
"Only the stage in Kinshasa has been canceled," Jerry Kalemo told ESPN.
Thus, the DR Congo team will not halt its preparation process entirely. Only the domestic portion is canceled, and subsequent foreign training camps are expected to continue as planned.
Previously, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. This has directly impacted the national team's plans.
As a reminder, DR Congo is in Group K for the 2026 World Cup. In this group, the Africans will face Uzbekistan, Portugal, and Colombia. The Congolese team will compete against the Uzbekistan national team in the 3rd round of the group stage.
In short, DR Congo has been forced to revise its plans ahead of the World Cup. Due to the Ebola threat, the camp and fan farewell in Kinshasa were canceled. Such organizational setbacks before a major tournament are not easy for a team, but in football, both preparation and adaptation are part of the game.
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