DR Congo National Football Team 2026: Players, Fixtures & More
The DR Congo national football team 2026 story has changed fast. The Leopards are heading to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974. They sealed qualification on 31 March 2026 with a 1-0 extra-time win over Jamaica in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament final.
That result ended a 52-year wait. It also placed DR Congo into Group K at the finals. Their group opponents are Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan.
This page gives readers the key picture in one place. It covers players, fixtures, standings, kits, coach, and the most important details around DR Congo ahead of the tournament. As of 5 May 2026, the final World Cup squad is yet to be confirmed, though the group, schedule, and shirt picture are already clear.
DR Congo national football team 2026 Basic Info
| Item | Latest update |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Leopards |
| Head coach | Sebastien Desabre |
| World Cup status | Qualified |
| Qualification date | 31 March 2026 |
| Qualification match | DR Congo 1-0 Jamaica aet |
| World Cup group | Group K |
| Group opponents | Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan |
| Previous World Cup appearances | 1 |
| Last World Cup appearance | 1974 |
| Supplier | Umbro |
DR Congo National Football Team 2026 Current Squad
26 Players Current Squad of DR Congo.
| No. | Position | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Lionel Mpasi | Le Havre |
| 16 | GK | Timothy Fayulu | Noah |
| 21 | GK | Matthieu Epolo | Standard Liège |
| 2 | DF | Aaron Wan-Bissaka | West Ham United |
| 3 | DF | Steve Kapuadi | Widzew Łódź |
| 4 | DF | Axel Tuanzebe | Burnley |
| 11 | DF | Arthur Masuaku | Lens |
| 12 | DF | Joris Kayembe | Genk |
| 15 | DF | Rocky Bushiri | Hibernian |
| 22 | DF | Chancel Mbemba | Lille |
| — | DF | Dylan Batubinsika | AEL |
| — | DF | Brian Bayeye | Villefranche |
| 5 | MF | Edo Kayembe | Watford |
| 6 | MF | Ngal’ayel Mukau | Lille |
| 7 | MF | Nathanaël Mbuku | Montpellier |
| 8 | MF | Samuel Moutoussamy | Atromitos |
| 9 | MF | Brian Cipenga | Castellón |
| 10 | MF | Théo Bongonda | Spartak Moscow |
| 13 | MF | Meschak Elia | Alanyaspor |
| 14 | MF | Noah Sadiki | Sunderland |
| 18 | MF | Charles Pickel | Espanyol |
| — | MF | Grady Diangana | Elche |
| 17 | FW | Cédric Bakambu | Betis |
| 19 | FW | Fiston Mayele | Pyramids |
| 20 | FW | Yoane Wissa | Newcastle United |
| 23 | FW | Simon Banza | Al Jazira |
DR Congo players to watch in 2026
The final DR Congo World Cup squad is yet to be confirmed. Still, several names are already central to the team story and should be watched closely before kickoff.
Cédric Bakambu remains one of the best-known attacking names in the squad pool. He brings long experience and proven scoring instinct. For a team entering a difficult group, that kind of experience matters.
Yoane Wissa is another major figure. FIFA’s team profile material already places him among the leading names around the side. His pace, movement, and directness can give DR Congo a real edge in transition moments.
Axel Tuanzebe also enters the tournament with fresh importance. He scored the goal that sent DR Congo to the World Cup. That alone has made him part of the team’s 2026 story.
Theo Bongonda is another key attacking option around this squad picture. He adds creativity and carry threat from wide areas. In a short tournament, players who can change games quickly become even more valuable.
Ngal’ayel Mukau is one of the names linked to DR Congo’s next phase. FIFA coverage around qualification also showed him in the middle of the celebrations. That reflects how important the newer core may become.
Because the final player list is not public yet, the safest editorial line is simple. Bakambu, Wissa, Tuanzebe, Bongonda, and Mukau are among the standout names to track, while the confirmed final squad is yet to be confirmed. Check Also: Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Live in DR Congo
DR Congo 2026 coach and team direction
Sebastien Desabre is the man behind DR Congo’s World Cup qualification. He has been in charge since August 2022. Under him, the team has taken a clear step forward.
That progress matters because DR Congo came very close in earlier qualification cycles without getting over the line. This time, they did. The team first came through the African play-off path, then won the intercontinental-style final against Jamaica in Mexico.
Desabre’s public comments to FIFA before the play-off final showed a manager who understood the size of the moment. He also arrived at the tournament path with belief in the group and its wider player base.
That wider player base is one of DR Congo’s strengths. The national team can draw from talent spread across several European leagues and football cultures. When organised well, that gives the side real depth.
For 2026, the biggest question is not only quality. It is cohesion under World Cup pressure. Desabre has already shown he can get the team through knockout-style qualification matches. The next challenge is doing it again in a much tougher group.
DR Congo fixtures for FIFA World Cup 2026
DR Congo’s World Cup group-stage fixtures are already confirmed. The Leopards will play three matches in Group K.
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 17 June 2026 | Portugal vs DR Congo | Houston Stadium |
| 23 June 2026 | Colombia vs DR Congo | Estadio Guadalajara |
| 27 June 2026 | DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Atlanta Stadium |
This is not an easy set of fixtures. Portugal bring deep tournament experience and high-end individual quality. Colombia also arrive with a strong recent profile. Uzbekistan may be World Cup newcomers too, though they are one of the better-organised debut sides in the field.
The fixture order matters a lot. DR Congo start against Portugal, which means the opening game could shape the mood of the whole group. A result there would change the table quickly.
The second match against Colombia may become decisive. If DR Congo take points from the opening game, that second fixture could open a route to the top two. If not, it may become a must-win situation.
The final match against Uzbekistan could also be huge. In a 48-team World Cup, third place can still qualify. That means DR Congo may remain alive deep into the group even if the opening two games are difficult.
DR Congo standings in Group K right now
The live World Cup standings have not started yet because the tournament begins in June. As of 5 May 2026, every team in Group K is on zero points.
| Group K | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DR Congo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Uzbekistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
This is the cleanest way to present the current standings picture. The group is confirmed, but no match has been played yet. That means the DR Congo points table is still blank.
Once the tournament begins, the usual system will apply. Teams get three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. The top two teams will advance automatically, while strong third-place finishes can still stay alive in the expanded format.
That point matters for DR Congo. In older formats, a rough start could be fatal. In 2026, a team can still stay in the fight through the third-place race.
DR Congo qualification route to the World Cup
DR Congo did not take the simplest route to the finals. That makes the qualification story even more notable.
The Leopards first came through the African pathway, then earned a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament. There, they beat Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in Guadalajara on 31 March 2026.
Axel Tuanzebe scored the winning goal. That strike sent DR Congo back to the World Cup after more than five decades away. It was one of the most emotional qualification moments of the whole cycle.
This route also says something about the team. DR Congo showed they could survive pressure matches where one error could end the run. That kind of experience can help once the finals start.
It does not make Group K easy. Still, it gives the team a better mental base than some debut or returning sides might have. They have already come through do-or-die football just to get here.
DR Congo kits for FIFA World Cup 2026
DR Congo’s 2026 shirt picture is already fairly clear. Umbro is the supplier, and the current public set gives readers a useful home, away, and goalkeeper view.
The home shirt is sky blue with white pattern detailing and red trim. It is the strongest visual marker of the Leopards heading into the tournament. It also fits the team nickname well through its bolder graphic language.
The away shirt is white with sky blue accents and a lower-front graphic effect. It gives DR Congo a cleaner second option while staying linked to the same national football look.
The goalkeeper shirt has a public green-and-blue reference. That makes DR Congo’s kit picture more complete than many other teams at this stage. Even so, exact match-by-match goalkeeper use is yet to be confirmed.
For supporters, the home shirt is likely to carry the strongest emotional value. It is the one most directly tied to DR Congo’s return to the World Cup. For collectors, that matters a lot.
What DR Congo’s World Cup group means
Group K is tough, but it is not hopeless. Portugal will likely start as favourites. Colombia will also expect to advance. That puts DR Congo and Uzbekistan in a realistic fight for points, pressure moments, and maybe a third-place route.
This is why the opening game matters so much. A point against Portugal would shift the whole group mood. It would also put pressure on Colombia and Uzbekistan right away.
The Colombia match may tell the real story. If DR Congo can stay competitive there, the group could stay open into the final round. If not, the Uzbekistan game may become about third place.
The expanded 48-team format gives DR Congo more breathing room than earlier World Cups would have. That does not reduce the challenge, but it does give the team a more believable path.
More to know about DR Congo in 2026
There is also a historical angle around this team that matters. DR Congo’s only earlier World Cup appearance came in 1974, when the country competed as Zaire. That means the 2026 tournament is not just a return. It is a chance to reset the nation’s World Cup story.
The team also arrives with players who can make history quickly. Any DR Congo scorer at this tournament will become part of the national football record in a major way. FIFA’s French-language profile already pointed to that extra motivation.
That adds emotional weight to the group stage. Every goal, every point, and every result can become historic because of how long the wait has been.
For readers, this is why the page goes beyond a basic squad note or fixture list. DR Congo 2026 is one of the more compelling returning-team stories in the whole tournament.
FAQs
Yes. DR Congo qualified on 31 March 2026 after beating Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament final.
Sebastien Desabre is DR Congo’s head coach. He has led the team since August 2022.
Cédric Bakambu, Yoane Wissa, Axel Tuanzebe, Theo Bongonda, and Ngal’ayel Mukau are among the key names to watch. The final World Cup squad is yet to be confirmed.
DR Congo are in Group K with Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan.
DR Congo play Portugal on 17 June 2026, Colombia on 23 June 2026, and Uzbekistan on 27 June 2026.
Group K has not started yet. All four teams are on zero points.
Umbro is DR Congo’s kit supplier. The current public set includes a sky blue home shirt, a white away shirt, and a green goalkeeper reference.
Conclusion
The DR Congo national football team 2026 page already has a clear shape even before kickoff. The Leopards are qualified, Sebastien Desabre remains in charge, Group K is confirmed, and the fixtures against Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan are already set. The current Umbro home, away, and goalkeeper shirts also give supporters a solid early picture.
The final squad is the biggest detail still to come. That part is yet to be confirmed, but key names like Cédric Bakambu, Yoane Wissa, Axel Tuanzebe, and Theo Bongonda already frame the team story. For now, DR Congo head to the World Cup with momentum, pressure, and a real chance to make new history.
