DR Congo – World Cup preview

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Hooligan Soccer

·8 juin 2026

DR Congo – World Cup preview

It’s been over a half century since DR Congo (full name The Democratic Republic of the Congo) last qualified for a World Cup. But time doesn’t dampen the spirits of this passionate fanbase or the hopes of its soccer team, known as the Leopards.

How they qualified

DR Congo finished second behind Senegal in their World Cup qualifying group. They lost to the group winners 3-2 after being 2-0 tip and this ultimately cost them direct qualification.

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DR Congo have reached their World Cup dream the hard way instead, coming through not one, not two, but THREE play-off games. They defeated Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in the final inter-confederation play-off. Former Man Utd defender Axel Tuanzebe scored the only goal.

The previous play-off round saw the Leopards beat Nigeria 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, so they’ve certainly taken the circuitous route!

Key players

Yoane Wissa

The Newcastle forward will be hoping to rediscover the form he had at Brentford for his country’s World Cup opener against Portugal. The 29 year-old had a tough season after his big money move to the North-East, scoring only two goals and none in the Premier League.

His versatility across the front line is a big positive for DR Congo. He fits many different positions, including winger, forward and as a number 10. His pace, power and pressing ability can cause problems, as long as his teammates can get him in behind defenses.

Chancel Mbemba

Another player with links to Newcastle, having played there for three seasons, the Congolese captain is the first person to reach 100 caps for his country. He reached this milestone in spectacular fashion, scoring a stoppage-time winner in the 1-0 victory over Cameroon in the second qualification round.

Mbemba was frozen out of the Marseille team under Roberto De Zerbi and moved to Lille in September 2025. He’s only made 13 league appearances for his second French employers, but remains the leader of the Warriors of the Equator.

Potential breakout player: Ngal’ayel Mukau

An obvious young player to pick out of the squad would be Noah Sadiki, after impressive displays for Sunderland.

However, the slightly younger 21 year-old, Mukau had an outstanding season for Lille. Mukau particularly caught the eye when scoring his first goals for the club.

This was a brace in the 2-1 win over Bologna in the Champions League back in November. Tall and powerful in midfield, he’s expected to start for Congo against Portugal.

World Cup history

Three World Cup appearances.
First and only appearance: 1974.
Best finish: Group stage.
The 2026 tournament marks DR Congo’s first World Cup appearance in 52 years.

The central African nation has only played at one World Cup before. This was in 1974 and under a different name. They were called Zaire and they lost all three group games. This included their biggest ever defeat, against a nation which is also no longer called what it was (if that makes sense!?) They lost 9-0 to Yugoslavia, so they’ll have to be spectacularly bad to do worse than their debut at this tournament!

Coach profile: Sebastien Desabre

Desabre is no stranger to coaching in Africa. At the tender age of 49 he’s had 11 coaching roles in the Mother Continent.

After previous success with Uganda, he’s guided The Sky Blue to successive Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the semi-finals in 2023.

Country fun facts

By land area DR Congo is the second largest country in Africa and the eleventh largest in the world.
It has a population of around 124 million people.
Its northern neighbor in the Republic of the Congo. They are separate nations.
It holds the world’s closest capital cities. Kinshasa (DR Congo) and Brazzaville (Rep. of Congo) are separated by the Congo river, which currently doesn’t have a connecting bridge.
The Congo Basin is the second largest tropical rainforest in the world. It holds some of the most unique wildlife on Earth, including the national animal of the DRC. Nicknamed the Unicorn of Africa, the Okapi is also known as there “forest Giraffe,” as it is the only living relative of our long neck friends.

Fan culture

One Congo supporter became almost as famous as the players at the African Cup of Nations. Super fan Michel Kuka Mboladinga went viral for his colorful suits and imitation of revolutionary leader Patrice Lumumba.

Mboladinga would silently watch entire matches with one arm raised, like the statue of Lumumba. His eye-catching patriotism earned him a place on the teams official World Cup delegation at the request of the players.