World Cup 2026

DR Congo

The Leopards Are Back: Congo DR End a 52-Year World Cup Exile

Out at the Round of 32FIFA #56Group K — Portugal · Uzbekistan · Colombia

FutAve take

The Story

Congo DR return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, and they arrive not as makeweights but as a squad stitched together from Ligue 1, the Premier League, and beyond. Drawn into Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan, the Leopards face a mountain — but their qualifying form suggests they know how to climb.

How they qualified

Congo DR navigated CAF qualifying with authority, finishing second in their group with seven wins from ten matches and a commanding positive goal difference. Their return to the global stage ends a 52-year absence and sparked jubilant scenes in Kinshasa — a nation fractured by years of conflict briefly united under the Leopards' banner. Coach Sebastian Desabre's 4-3-3 system transformed a squad in turmoil into a disciplined, cohesive unit.

Why watch

A team ending a half-century exile, packed with European club talent, led by a battle-hardened captain, and set to face Ronaldo's Portugal and Díaz's Colombia in consecutive group games — Congo DR are the World Cup's most emotionally loaded underdog story. Neutral fans chasing drama, upsets, and meaning should have Group K circled in red.

Squad spotlight

Players to Know

The Veteran

Chancel Mbemba

LOSC Lille

Chancel Mbemba is Congo DR's captain and defensive cornerstone, bringing Ligue 1 pedigree with LOSC Lille to the tournament's biggest stage.

Why they matter

As the most-capped and most respected figure in the squad, Mbemba is the emotional and organisational heartbeat of this side. His leadership transforms a group of diaspora talents into a unit with identity and spine — qualities that will be tested hard against Portugal and Colombia.

Watch for

Watch how Mbemba organises the defensive line under sustained pressure from Portugal's attack. His ability to command the backline aerially and distribute calmly will set the tempo for everything Congo DR do defensively throughout Group K.

The Star

Cédric Bakambu

Cédric Bakambu is Congo DR's senior attacking talisman, bringing top-flight European and international experience to his country's greatest stage in 52 years.

Why they matter

Bakambu is the focal point of Desabre's 4-3-3 — the player the team builds toward in the final third. His experience at Real Betis and across top leagues means he has seen high-pressure football before, and Congo DR's Group K survival likely runs through his feet.

Watch for

Look for Bakambu's clever movement off the ball to create space in congested defensive shapes. Against deep-sitting opponents like Uzbekistan, his ability to link play and arrive late into dangerous areas could be the difference between three points and a frustrating draw.

The X-Factor

Yoane Wissa

Newcastle United

Yoane Wissa brings explosive Premier League dynamism to Congo DR's attack, arriving at the World Cup off the back of sharp form at Newcastle United.

Why they matter

Wissa offers something different to Bakambu — raw pace, directness, and the capacity to unsettle elite defenders with sudden accelerations. In a group where Congo DR will spend time defending deep, his ability to hurt opponents on the counter could be their most dangerous weapon.

Watch for

Track Wissa's runs in behind high defensive lines — particularly against a Portuguese backline that may push forward expecting to dominate. One moment of Premier League-grade pace in a Group K fixture could rewrite the entire narrative of Congo DR's tournament.

The Glue Guy

Ngal'ayel Mukau

LOSC Lille

Ngal'ayel Mukau anchors Congo DR's midfield from Lille, providing the defensive discipline that allows more creative teammates to express themselves.

Why they matter

In a 4-3-3 built on structure, Mukau is the engine room — the player who breaks up opposition rhythm, recycles possession, and protects the back four. Desabre's system doesn't function without that midfield anchor, and Mukau's Ligue 1 experience equips him for the intensity of World Cup football.

Watch for

Watch Mukau's positioning when Congo DR are without the ball. His instinct to cut passing lanes and recover second balls is what keeps the team's defensive shape intact — particularly crucial when Portugal or Colombia build patiently through midfield.

The FutAve Watch

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

West Ham United

Aaron Wan-Bissaka brings Premier League athleticism at right back for Congo DR, a versatile and physically imposing presence in Desabre's defensive unit.

Why they matter

Wan-Bissaka represents the squad's Anglo-Congolese thread — a Premier League defender bringing elite physical attributes to a backline that will face some of the tournament's most dangerous wide forwards. His ability to defend one-on-one is arguably world-class on his best day.

Watch for

The Wan-Bissaka vs. Raphaël Guerreiro or Portugal's wide threats matchup could be one of the group stage's most compelling individual duels. If he shuts down that channel, Congo DR's defensive structure holds. If he's exposed, the floodgates risk opening.

FutAve layer