A planned international friendly between DR Congo and Chile in Spain has been called off after local health authorities raised concerns about the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.

Juan Franco, mayor of La Linea de la Concepcion — a coastal town of around 65,000 people in the province of Cadiz near the Gibraltar border — signed a decree blocking the fixture, which had been scheduled for 9 June.

Franco described the move as a "precautionary measure," taken following recommendations from the Andalusian regional health service and the city's own medical department. "A report by the head of the mayoralty's health service of La Linea advised categorically against hosting the match given the health risks which might arise," the mayor said.

Players unaffected, but support staff and fans raised concerns

DR Congo are currently based in Belgium, having already cancelled a pre-tournament training camp in Kinshasa due to the Ebola outbreak concentrated in the east of the country. BBC Sport understands that none of DR Congo's players — all of whom play for clubs outside the country — have visited their homeland recently. However, some support staff and fans have travelled from DR Congo.

The squad are still due to face Denmark in a friendly in Liege on Wednesday as preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continue.

A rare strain with no vaccine

The current outbreak in eastern DR Congo has been caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare species for which no vaccine currently exists. The World Health Organisation has warned it could take up to nine months for a vaccine to become available.

In response to the outbreak, the United States' public health agency has barred entry to non-Americans who have been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.

DR Congo's World Cup campaign ahead

DR Congo have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974 and plan to be based in Houston during the tournament. They open their Group K campaign on 17 June against Portugal in Houston, before travelling to Guadalajara, Mexico, to face Colombia. Their group stage concludes back in the United States, where they take on Uzbekistan in Atlanta.