DR Congo move World Cup camp to Belgium after Ebola travel curbs

DR Congo have relocated their World Cup preparations to Belgium after cancelling all scheduled events in Kinshasa due to the Ebola outbreak. An open training session and a send‑off ceremony with President Félix Tshisekedi were scrapped once U.S. CDC rules barred entry to non‑U.S. passport holders who had recently been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan. Staff still in DR Congo must leave by Thursday to enter the United States without restrictions, with the squad set to arrive on June 10 or 11.

Team manager Dodo Landu insisted the disruption is minimal, saying the May 25 event will simply be held in Brussels. DR Congo will be based in Houston for the tournament, with all players currently attached to clubs abroad. They open their World Cup campaign against Portugal before meeting Colombia and Uzbekistan. The outbreak has reached 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, prompting heightened international precautions.