DR Congo have been forced to change their buildup to the 2026 World Cup following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease in the country.
The Congolese Football Association have decided to prepare for the tournament in Belgium instead of Congo.
A planned fans farewell in the capital city Kinshasa has been cancelled, according to team spokesman Jerry Kalemo.
The Leopards will now spend the coming weeks in Europe to work towards the start of the World Cup in a quieter environment.
A first important appointment is scheduled for June 3, when DRC will take on Denmark in a friendly at Sclessin in Liège.
They will then take on Chile in another warm-up game on June 9 in Southern Spain.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a public health emergency after the outbreak in DRC of a rare type of Ebola, which has killed over 130 people and caused nearly 600 suspected cases.
The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the US would ban the entry of all foreign nationals who had been in DRC, Uganda and South Sudan within the past three weeks.
