The Congolese federation said a group of home-based players and support staff, due to join their Europe-based colleagues at a training camp in France before the friendly at Saint-Cyr, were denied visas, causing the cancellation on the eve of the match.

It is the second straight year the Congolese have had to ditch plans to train in Europe before key World Cup qualifiers.

A match in Ajaccio with Ivory Coast this time last year was also called off after domestic-based players were refused visas.

Belgian and French consular officials in Kinshasa have regularly denied visas for Congo footballers since the disappearance of three players from a national team training camp in Paris ahead of a World Cup qualifier in 2004.

DR Congo play Libya in a qualifier on Friday in Tripoli and then host group leaders Cameroon on June 16 as they bid to stay in contention for a place at the 2014 finals in Brazil.

Cameroon lead Group I with six points from three games ahead of Libya with five points and DR Congo on four ahead of Togo with one. Only the 10 group winners qualify for the final round.

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