DR Congo World Cup Squad Announced: Will the Leopards Shock the World?

For the first time in over half a century, the Democratic Republic of Congo is returning to football's grandest stage. Head coach Sebastien Desabre has officially announced his 26-man DR Congo World Cup squad, sparking immense celebration across the nation. The last time this proud African country featured in the tournament was back in 1974, when they competed under the name Zaire.

The road to the FIFA World Cup was an absolute rollercoaster. After finishing a close second to Senegal in Group B of the CAF qualifiers, DR Congo advanced to the African play-offs. There, they dug deep to defeat Cameroon 1-0 in the semi-finals before outlasting powerhouse Nigeria in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. Their historic ticket to North America was finally punched in March 2026 at the inter-confederation play-offs in Guadalajara, where a heroic extra-time goal from Axel Tuanzebe secured a 1-0 victory over Jamaica. Now, with friendly warm-ups against Denmark and Chile on the horizon, the focus shifts to how far this squad can go.

Will DR Congo make it through?

Getting to the tournament is a massive achievement, but surviving the group stage will require an even greater effort. The DR Congo National Team has been drawn into Group K for the FIFA World Cup, where they will face a highly competitive mix of international heavyweights and rising forces. There is no sugarcoating the difficulty of this group. Opening their campaign against a European powerhouse like Portugal puts immediate pressure on the African side. Meanwhile, Colombia brings world-class South American flair and tournament experience, and Uzbekistan represents a highly disciplined, dangerous wildcard.

However, under the current tournament format, the top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-placed teams. Coach Desabre remains highly confident, stating that getting past the first phase is well within the capacity of his squad. With a deeply unified group that recently finished fourth at the Africa Cup of Nations, DR Congo has the defensive resilience and tactical structure to upset the odds.

DR Congo Squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Goalkeepers: ⁠Matthieu Epolo, Timothy Fayulu, Lionel Mpasi

Defenders: Dylan Batubinsika, Rocky Bushiri, Gedoon Kalulu, Steve Kapuadi, Joris Kayembe, Arthur Masuaku, Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Midfielders: ​Theo Bongonda, Brian Cipenga, Meshack Elia, Gael Kakuta, ​Edo Kayembe, Nathanael Mbuku, Samuel Moutoussamy, Ngal'ayel Mukau, Charles Pickel, Noah Sadiki

Forwards: Cedric Bakambu, Simon Banza, ​Fiston Mayele, Yoane Wissa.