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DR Congo relocates pre-World Cup training amid Ebola crisis
The Democratic Republic of Congo has canceled its national football team's training camp in Kinshasa due to an escalating Ebola outbreak in the country's east. The squad will now prepare in Belgium ahead of its first World Cup appearance since 1974.
Outbreak spreads beyond epicenter
The virus, which has killed at least 130 people, has now reached South Kivu province, hundreds of kilometers from the initial hotspots in North Kivu and Ituri. A case confirmed on Thursday involved a 28-year-old from Kisangani who died before diagnosis, according to a statement from the M23 rebel group, which controls parts of the region.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern" but stressed it does not yet qualify as a pandemic. The strain responsible, Bundibugyo, has no approved vaccine, and the WHO estimates it could take up to nine months to develop one.
Travel restrictions disrupt team plans
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has barred entry for non-Americans who have visited DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days. This prompted the Congolese football federation to abandon the Kinshasa camp, originally set to begin on May 26, and relocate to Belgium.
Team spokesperson Jerry Kalemo confirmed that all pre-tournament friendlies-including matches against Denmark on June 3 and Chile on June 9-will proceed as scheduled. The Leopards open their World Cup campaign against Portugal in Houston on June 17.
While the squad's players, all based abroad, remain unaffected, some staff members left DR Congo on Wednesday to comply with the 21-day restriction. However, fans and journalists who applied for U.S. visas through the sports ministry face uncertainty after the U.S. embassy in Kinshasa suspended visa services.
Fans and media voice frustration
A reporter from the national broadcaster questioned the blanket travel ban, noting that Kinshasa-roughly 1,800 km from the outbreak's epicenter-has reported no cases. "Why should the whole country be banned?" they asked.
Supporter Michel Nkuka Mbolandinga, known for impersonating former Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, expressed confidence in traveling but admitted he was unsure about the status of his visa application.
Conflicting death tolls and rebel cooperation
On Wednesday, the WHO reported 139 deaths out of 600 suspected cases, while Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba cited 159 fatalities in an interview with state broadcaster RTNC. The discrepancy underscores challenges in tracking the outbreak, particularly in areas controlled by the M23 rebel group.
The M23, which has never managed a health crisis of this scale, pledged to collaborate with international partners to contain the virus. Access to rebel-held territories remains a growing concern.
Coach's press conference in doubt
The team's French coach, Sébastien Desabre, may cancel a planned press conference in Kinshasa, according to a social media statement from the federation. The announcement also confirmed the cancellation of a public training session originally scheduled for May 26.
President Félix Tshisekedi was expected to attend the camp, which was intended to rally fans ahead of the historic tournament.
