📅 May 21, 2026
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👤 Henry Nigeria
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📁 FIFA WORLD CUP
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🕑 3 min read
The Democratic Republic of Congo national football team has moved its pre-World Cup training camp from Kinshasa to Belgium following the recent Ebola outbreak in the country.
Officials confirmed that the camp, initially scheduled to hold in the Congolese capital for three days, will now take place in Europe.
While the team’s press officer did not directly state that the health crisis influenced the decision, the relocation comes just days after authorities announced a fresh Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo.
The latest outbreak, the 17th recorded in the country, has reportedly resulted in 139 deaths from nearly 600 suspected cases of the deadly haemorrhagic disease.
The team official also revealed that no home-based players were included in the national squad for the tournament preparations.
DR Congo are preparing for only their second appearance at the FIFA World Cup, having previously featured in the 1974 edition when the country competed under the name Zaire.
The Congolese side will begin their campaign in the United States, Mexico and Canada-hosted tournament against Portugal in Houston on June 17.
They are also scheduled to face Colombia in Guadalajara on June 24 before concluding their group-stage fixtures against Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 28.
Despite concerns surrounding travel restrictions linked to the outbreak, a United States official stated on Tuesday that the Congolese team would still be permitted to enter the country for the competition.
Current US health regulations restrict entry for non-Americans who have recently visited DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the last 21 days because of the Ebola situation.
However, officials noted that the national team had already been training in Europe, which may exempt them from the restrictions.
The official added that even if the players had recently been in DR Congo, they would likely face enhanced health screening procedures rather than a total travel ban.