APR FC says It won’t risk players’ lives by travelling to Kinshasa

APR FC has raised concerns about travelling to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to face Les Aigles du Congo in the preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League, citing security and health concerns.

The club’s head coach, Taleb Abderrahim, made the remarks on Sunday, August 9, after APR FC defeated Etincelles FC 2-1 in a friendly match.

APR FC is scheduled to face Les Aigles du Congo in the preliminary round, with the first leg initially expected to be played in Kinshasa between September 4 and 6, 2026. APR FC is due to play the first leg away from home.

According to Taleb, the club is concerned about the health and safety of its players and staff, particularly amid reports of an Ebola outbreak in the DRC.

“As you know, there is Ebola in Congo. Yesterday I saw on television that in one city there were 4,000 patients. We cannot put our players at risk. We cannot go to a country where there is a disease that could create health problems for us,” Taleb said.

The coach also pointed to the security situation in parts of the DRC, arguing that ongoing armed conflict raises additional concerns about travelling with the team.

“There is also war. We are discussing with CAF so that we can play at a neutral venue, but we will try our luck. We have the desire and we are ready,” he added.

APR FC has reportedly written to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), requesting that the two-leg tie against Les Aigles du Congo be played at an alternative venue.

The club's position comes ahead of what would be its first major continental test of the new season, with the outcome of the preliminary-round tie determining which team advances in the CAF Champions League.