[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"football-site-config":3,"world-cup-status-en":27,"news-detail-dr-congo-vs-chile-cancelled-what-ebola-means-for-world-cup":61,"news-related-dr-congo-vs-chile-cancelled-what-ebola-means-for-world-cup-en":96,"news-related-match-dr-congo-vs-chile-cancelled-what-ebola-means-for-world-cup-en":26},{"adSlots":4,"affiliateMode":5,"brandName":6,"contentStrategy":7,"currency":8,"friendLinks":9,"homepageLayoutKey":10,"leagueFocus":11,"locale":12,"planVisibility":13,"seoDescription":14,"seoTitleTemplate":15,"siteCode":10,"siteName":6,"siteType":10,"subscriptionMode":5,"timezone":16,"id":17,"tenantID":18,"primaryDomain":19,"countryCode":20,"logoUrl":21,"faviconUrl":21,"theme":22,"seoKeywords":24,"status":25,"ads":4,"focusLeagues":26,"affiliatePolicies":26},[],"shared","Football Prediction Platform","scores_predictions","USD",[],"main",[],"en-US",[],"Football fixtures, results, free predictions, subscriptions, and clearly labeled partner links.","{page} | Football Prediction Platform","America\u002FNew_York",323900000000000000,1,"football.easytestdev.online","US","",{"primaryColor":23},"#1677ff","football predictions, football fixtures, football results","active",null,{"active":28,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueImagePath":31,"seasonId":32,"seasonName":33,"startingAt":34,"endingAt":35,"daysToStart":36,"daysToEnd":37,"phase":38,"includeQualifying":39,"hostCities":40},true,"326135624916537344","World Cup","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fleagues\u002F1.png","326255613308833792","2026\u002F2027","2026-06-11","2026-06-28",-37,-20,"finished_recent",false,[41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60],"Atlanta","Boston","Dallas","East Rutherford","Guadalajara","Houston","Kansas City","Los Angeles","Mexico City","Miami","Monterrey","New-York","New York New Jersey","Philadelphia","San-Francisco","San Francisco Bay Area","Seattle","Toronto","Vancouver","Zapopan",{"article":62},{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":63,"category":64,"excerpt":65,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":66,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":67,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":68,"slug":69,"sourceName":70,"sourceURL":71,"teamId":72,"teamName":73,"teamIds":74,"teamNames":85,"title":95},"The DR Congo vs Chile World Cup warm-up friendly, scheduled for June 9 in La Línea de la Concepción, Spain, was cancelled by the town’s mayor over health concerns stemming from the Ebola outbreak in the central African nation. Mayor Juan Franco signed a decree banning the match after recommendations from the Andalusia regional health service and the municipality’s medical chief, who advised categorically against hosting the fixture.\n\nThe decision disrupts a crucial phase of preparation for DR Congo, who are embarking on their first World Cup campaign since the 1974 edition, when they competed as Zaire. Already forced to scrap a home-based training camp because of the Ebola emergency, the Leopards have been based in Belgium, where they will face Denmark in a friendly on Wednesday. The cancellation of the Chile match further reduces their limited opportunities to build cohesion and tactical refinement before the tournament opens on June 11.\n\nThe Ebola outbreak was declared in eastern DRC in mid-May, triggering swift international health protocols. US authorities have mandated a 21-day isolation period for the entire squad before they can enter American territory, forcing the Congolese Football Federation to abandon any pre-tournament plans on home soil. The team has been staying at a training base in Belgium, but the separation from their usual environment and supporters has inevitably dampened morale.\n\nPublic health officials deemed the risks too high, even though no cases have been reported within the DR Congo delegation. Ebola’s severity and transmission patterns – through direct contact with bodily fluids – made the prospect of a large gathering involving travelers from an affected region unacceptable. Mayor Franco stressed that protecting the 65,000 residents of La Línea and preventing any potential transmission chain was his paramount concern, highlighting the medical report’s categorical advice.\n\nFor the Congolese squad, the Chile friendly represented more than a routine run-out. It was a rare chance to test themselves against a South American opponent with qualities akin to Colombia, who await them in the group stage. Chile, though absent from the 2026 finals, boast technical proficiency and a high-intensity style that would have offered invaluable competitive simulation. Losing that examination leaves head coach Sébastien Desabre with only the Denmark friendly and closed-door sessions to fine-tune his side.\n\nThe World Cup draw has placed DR Congo in a daunting Group K alongside Portugal, the 2016 European champions, and a Colombia side known for its deep tournament runs. Uzbekistan completes the quartet. The Leopards will be based in Houston, where they open their campaign against Portugal at NRG Stadium on June 17, before traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico, to face Colombia on June 24, and finally returning to the US to meet Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 28.\n\nWithout competitive friendlies against varied opposition, adapting to different playing styles and conditions becomes more difficult. The Denmark match will offer some preparation against a European side, but Chile’s rapid transitions and pressing game would have been a closer analog to the Colombian threat. For a team that last graced the world stage half a century ago, every lost training day and cancelled match magnifies the challenge of progressing beyond the group.\n\nThe incident also illustrates how health emergencies can wreak havoc on international sports logistics. DR Congo are not alone in facing disruptions, but the Ebola outbreak struck at the worst possible moment – just weeks before the tournament’s kick-off. The US isolation order, while prudent, further complicates matters: players must serve quarantine upon arrival, eating into precious acclimatisation and tactical preparation time.\n\nIn La Línea, the cancellation was met with disappointment by local businesses that had expected an economic boost from the event. But health authorities remained uncompromising. The mayor’s office underscored that the medical report strongly advised against any event bringing a large number of people from an Ebola-affected area into close contact. The precautionary principle, they argued, had to outweigh sporting and commercial interests.\n\nLooking ahead, DR Congo must maximize the limited windows they have left. The Denmark friendly in Liège will be their sole public test before the Portugal showdown. Training intensifies in Belgium, and the coaching staff will rely heavily on video analysis and simulated drills to compensate for the missing Chile encounter. The Leopards’ resilience and unity will be critical if they are to overcome these setbacks and turn their World Cup dream into a historic achievement.\n\nThe broader football community will watch with empathy as DR Congo navigate both a health crisis and a sporting ambition. The tournament is meant to celebrate the game’s global reach, but for the Congolese squad, it has already become a tale of perseverance. Their storyline promises to be one of the most compelling narratives of the competition, irrespective of final outcomes.\n\nBased on reporting from The Guardian.","news","The June 9 DR Congo vs Chile friendly was axed over Ebola fears, disrupting DR Congo's first World Cup prep since 1974 and raising readiness questions.","337339935486906369","0","2026-06-02T18:39:10Z","dr-congo-vs-chile-cancelled-what-ebola-means-for-world-cup","The Guardian","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Ffootball\u002F2026\u002Fjun\u002F02\u002Fdr-congo-chile-world-cup-warm-up-cancelled-ebola","326257663002284032","Chile",[72,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84],"326257595536904192","326257661421031424","326222712143876096","326222711623782400","326222712865296384","326257640692781056","326257650830413824","326257664403181568","326222712592666624","326222711401484288",[73,86,87,88,89,90,45,91,92,93,94],"Jamaica","Denmark","Portugal","Colombia","Uzbekistan","Concepción","Gibraltar","Congo DR","Belgium","DR Congo vs Chile cancelled: What Ebola means for World Cup",[97,129,159,188],{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":98,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":99,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":67,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":100,"slug":101,"sourceName":102,"sourceURL":103,"teamId":104,"teamName":105,"teamIds":106,"teamNames":117,"title":128},"Guéla Doué scored and assisted as Ivory Coast beat France 2-1 in a friendly, outshining his brother Désiré who featured for Les Bleus in the sibling showdown.","338200147588550657","2026-06-05T04:00:00Z","guela-doue-downs-brother-s-france-ivorian-2-1-win","L'Equipe","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUn-but-et-une-passe-decisive-contre-la-france-la-soiree-de-reve-pour-guela-doue-avec-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681944#at_medium=RSS_feeds","326222712533946368","Ivory Coast",[104,107,108,109,84,110,111,112,113,114,115,116],"326222711447621632","326255037997125632","326257536145559552","326222767416414208","326257536078450688","326257536296554496","326257537865224192","326257686389723136","326257535994564608","326222707169431552",[105,118,119,120,94,121,122,123,124,125,126,127],"France","Strasbourg","Rennes","Lesotho","Paris Saint Germain","Auxerre","Estoril","Together","Nantes","Anderlecht","Guéla Doué downs brother's France: Ivorian 2-1 win",{"awayTeamId":130,"awayTeamName":131,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":132,"homeTeamId":133,"homeTeamName":134,"id":135,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":136,"matchName":137,"publishedAt":138,"slug":139,"sourceName":140,"sourceURL":141,"teamId":133,"teamName":134,"teamIds":142,"teamNames":150,"title":158},"326222712622026752","South Africa","Shakira & Burna Boy sing 'Dai Dai' at 2026 World Cup opener June 11 in Mexico City, with J Balvin, Tyla. Buble, Morissette, Perry, Future lead other ceremonies.","326222711908995072","Mexico","338120887364489217","327115024327774208","Mexico vs South Africa","2026-06-04T22:48:54Z","shakira-burna-boy-to-open-2026-world-cup-in-mexico","BBC Sport","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fsport\u002Ffootball\u002Farticles\u002Fc8939ykg3qgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss",[133,130,143,144,145,116,146,147,148,78,149],"326222712936599552","326222713142120448","326257593007738880","326222713016291328","326257563345620992","326257565195309056","326257791226351616",[134,131,151,152,153,127,154,155,156,89,157],"Paraguay","Canada","Azteca","USA","Heracles","Barcelona","Nigeria","Shakira, Burna Boy to Open 2026 World Cup in Mexico",{"awayTeamId":160,"awayTeamName":161,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":162,"homeTeamId":107,"homeTeamName":118,"id":163,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":164,"matchName":165,"publishedAt":166,"slug":167,"sourceName":102,"sourceURL":168,"teamId":104,"teamName":105,"teamIds":169,"teamNames":178,"title":187},"326222711783165952","Senegal","France lose first friendly under Deschamps, 2-1 to Ivory Coast in Nantes, revealing defensive issues 10 days before World Cup start vs Senegal.","338126221931974657","327115052106649600","France vs Senegal","2026-06-04T22:34:17Z","bleus-lose-friendly-under-deschamps-2-1-to-ivory-coast","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUne-defaite-ni-vraiment-grave-ni-completement-anodine-pour-les-bleus-a-dix-jours-de-leur-entree-en-scene-au-mondial\u002F1681936#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[104,107,160,115,170,143,110,171,172,173,113,174,175,176,177,116],"326257810885054464","326255039846813696","326255041625198592","326257536413995008","326257541157752832","326257545754710016","326257554411753472","326257789708013568",[105,118,161,126,179,151,121,180,181,182,124,183,184,185,186,127],"York","FK Partizan","Partizani","Paris FC","Galatasaray","Newcastle","Newcastle Jets","China","Bleus Lose Friendly Under Deschamps: 2-1 to Ivory Coast",{"awayTeamId":189,"awayTeamName":190,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":191,"homeTeamId":107,"homeTeamName":118,"id":192,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":193,"matchName":194,"publishedAt":195,"slug":196,"sourceName":102,"sourceURL":197,"teamId":107,"teamName":118,"teamIds":198,"teamNames":207,"title":216},"326222712819159040","Iraq","Lucas Hernandez: France's 1-2 friendly loss to Ivory Coast is better now than June 16 World Cup opener vs Senegal, with Northern Ireland test next.","338124609578602497","327115069915664384","France vs Iraq","2026-06-04T22:32:57Z","hernandez-france-loss-better-now-than-june-16","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FActualites\u002FLucas-hernandez-apres-la-defaite-1-2-de-la-france-contre-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681942#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[107,189,104,160,199,200,201,113,174,202,203,204,205,206],"326257664243798016","326257535885512704","326222712013852672","326257556060114944","326257565845426176","326257695210344448","326257796423094272","326222712898850816",[118,190,105,161,208,209,210,124,183,211,212,213,214,215],"Northern Ireland","Lille","Iran","Estudiantes L.P.","Mallorca","Signal","Russia","Qatar","Hernandez: France Loss Better Now Than June 16"]