DR Congo compete in Group Eleven of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Record:
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AFCON winners in 1968 and 1974
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Best World Cup finish: Group stage (1974)
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Last World Cup appearance: 1974 (group stage)
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FIFA ranking: 46
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Nickname: The Leopards
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Top clubs: TP Mazembe, Vita Club
Qualification: After finishing second in their African qualifying group behind Senegal, DR Congo were forced into a play-off to secure their World Cup place. Having eliminated Cameroon and Nigeria in the African play-offs, they then narrowly won the inter-confederation play-off against Jamaica — 1–0 after extra time.
Coach: Since taking charge of DR Congo in 2022, Sébastien Desabre has delivered a strong run at AFCON 2023 (semi-finals), before a round-of-16 exit at the 2025 edition. The 49-year-old Frenchman, who never had a professional playing career, has managed numerous clubs across Africa — including ASEC Mimosas in Ivory Coast, Coton Sport in Cameroon, Espérance in Tunisia, Ismaily and Pyramids in Egypt, and Wydad in Morocco — and also managed the Uganda national team from 2017 to 2019.
Star player: At just 21, Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki was one of the standout discoveries of the English season, featuring in 33 matches. Born in Belgium, the former Union Saint-Gilloise player contributed significantly to the promoted side's impressive campaign under French coach Régis Le Bris, finishing seventh in the Premier League.
Ambitions: Behind Portugal, DR Congo can realistically target advancement from the group stage — either as runners-up or as one of the best third-placed sides. However, the Leopards remain outsiders compared to Colombia, and will also need to be wary of Uzbekistan.