DR Congo. The pre-tournament read.

DR Congo arrive at the 2026 World Cup with a serious football identity for the first time in fifty years. Sébastien Desabre's three years have produced an AFCON semi-final, a CAF playoff win over Nigeria, and an intercontinental-playoff final win over Jamaica decided deep in extra time by an Axel Tuanzebe goal that nobody had on their card. The football is recognizable across the squad: low-to-medium block, Bakambu as the focal point, fast attacks through Wissa and the wide players. Group K (Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan) is hard — Portugal a genuine title contender, Colombia a quality CONMEBOL outfit. But Uzbekistan is one of the three debutant sides in the field, and DR Congo's pre-tournament FIFA ranking sits comfortably ahead of theirs. The agent's read: DR Congo are the kind of team that decides the group's second knockout slot.

AGENT-AUTHOREDAgent-authored tournament read. Treat the framing and group outlook as editorial judgement; sourced facts are separated below.

Top three starsUSER-PROVIDED

Ipswich Town · Centre-back
Axel Tuanzebe
Former Manchester United academy product. Scored the 100th-minute winner against Jamaica that took DR Congo through — and the captain who organised the back four for an unrelenting 120 minutes.
Real Betis · Centre-forward
Cédric Bakambu
32 years old, Bundesliga / La Liga journeyman, AFCON 2023 Golden Boot. The veteran goalscorer the squad still leans on when the qualifying run got tight.
Newcastle United · Forward
Yoane Wissa
Premier League proven — the squad's most consistent attacking threat across qualifying, and the player most likely to score the goal that beats Portugal.

Qualifying scorer sketchAGENT-AUTHORED

Agent-authored figures · needs verification before match-use.

01 Cédric Bakambu · Real Betis6 g · 11 of 12
02 Yoane Wissa · Newcastle United5 g · 12 of 12
03 Fiston Mayele · Pyramids FC3 g · 10 of 12

Road to 2026USER-PROVIDED

21 APR 2023
Sébastien Desabre appointed head coach
French manager hired ahead of AFCON 2023. The federation's most ambitious hire since the early-2010s rebuilds.
7 FEB 2024
AFCON 2023 semi-final: DR Congo 0-1 Ivory Coast
Eliminated by the eventual champions in Côte d'Ivoire's hosted tournament. The deep run that established this generation as more than a qualifying team.
19 NOV 2025
CAF qualifying playoff: DR Congo defeat Nigeria
Knock out Africa's perennial qualifier in the continental playoff. The result that takes DR Congo to the intercontinental round.
31 MAR 2026
DR Congo 1-0 Jamaica (a.e.t.) — Intercontinental Tournament 1 Final
Tuanzebe scores in the 100th minute after 90 goalless. DR Congo become the 47th qualifier, ending a 52-year World Cup absence dating back to Zaire 1974.

Did you knowUSER-PROVIDED

DR Congo's first World Cup since Zaire 1974 — a 52-year absence, the longest among any 2026 qualifier with prior tournament history.
The country last appeared as Zaire and lost all three group games at the 1974 tournament without scoring, including a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia that remains a record-margin loss.
Cédric Bakambu won the AFCON 2023 Golden Boot. Three of the matchday squad in 2026 — Bakambu, Wissa, Tuanzebe — featured at that tournament.
Axel Tuanzebe was Manchester United's academy captain in his age group, made his senior debut at 18, then drifted through Aston Villa, Stoke, Napoli before settling at Ipswich. The 100th-minute Jamaica goal is his first senior international.

Manager + squad

In charge since 1 APR 2023

Sébastien Desabre

French. Took the job in April 2023, immediately led DR Congo to the AFCON 2023 semi-finals — the federation's deepest run since 1998. Pragmatic 4-2-3-1, builds around defensive solidity and quick transitions through the wide channels.

Squad status

Final 26 announced

The rest of Group K

Portugal
Uzbekistan
Colombia

← All 12 groups