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Spain: Friendly soccer match banned due to Ebola fears
🇵🇦 Panama /Sports

Spain: Friendly soccer match banned due to Ebola fears

From TVN Panamá · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The mayor of La Línea de la Concepción, Spain, has banned an upcoming friendly soccer match between Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • The decision stems from concerns over an Ebola outbreak in the African nation and follows recommendations from regional health authorities.
  • This match was part of the Democratic Republic of Congo's preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

A friendly soccer match between Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo, scheduled for June 9 in La Línea de la Concepción, Spain, has been prohibited by the town's mayor, Juan Franco. The ban is a precautionary measure due to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I have just issued the decree by which the celebration of the match scheduled for the upcoming June 9 at the municipal stadium between the national teams of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile is not authorized.

— Juan FrancoThe mayor of La Línea de la Concepción announced his decision to ban the friendly match.

Mayor Franco cited health prudence and recommendations from the regional government's health department. An official report from the town's health service chief also advised against the match, citing potential health risks. Franco expressed regret but deemed the decision the most prudent given the situation in the African country and the provided documentation, which he felt did not fully allay concerns about risks.

a question of health prudence

— Juan FrancoThe mayor explained the basis for his decision to prohibit the soccer match.

The match was intended as part of the Democratic Republic of Congo's preparation for the 2026 World Cup. This was to be their second friendly in Europe, following a planned match in Belgium against Denmark. The team had previously canceled the start of their training camp in Kinshasa and relocated it to Belgium without specifying a reason. Notably, no players from Congolese teams were called up for the squad.

it is the most prudent thing to do

— Juan FrancoThe mayor justified his decision in light of the Ebola situation and the provided documentation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by TVN Panamá in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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