DRC cheered on by 23,000 fans in World Cup warm-up
DR Congo players and coaching staff celebrate after winning the match and qualifying for the World Cup during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers final playoff football match between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Jamaica at the Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Jalisco state, Mexico, on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Ulises Ruiz / AFP)
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Their coach Sebastien Desabre has said they are willing to play their next pre-World Cup friendly with Chile, scheduled for next Tuesday, behind closed doors.
But the mayor of Spanish town La Linea de la Concepcion, which was due to host the match, signed a decree cancelling the game.
On Wednesday, around 23,000 fans turned out in Liege, where a significant Congolese minority live and work.
The DR Congo - who have qualified for their first World Cup since they featured in the 1974 edition as Zaire - cancelled a planned pre-World Cup training camp at home after the country was hit by the Ebola outbreak last month and have been based in Belgium instead.
US authorities said on May 22 that Congo's squad must isolate for 21 days before they would be allowed into the United States for the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 and is being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
They have planned to be based in Houston during the tournament, where they will play their first Group K match on June 17 against Portugal.
DR Congo are then scheduled to head to Guadalajara, Mexico, to play Colombia on June 23 before returning to the United States to play Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27.
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