DR Congo National Football Team, Squad, Injuries, Schedule and Stats

Congolese Association Football Federation

The Congolese Association Football Federation is the supreme body of all footballing operations in Congo DR. Widely known as “FECOFA”, this organisation was built back in 1919, a time when the country didn't even start to play official football matches. It took them 45 years to get enrolled officially in FIFA and CAF. FECOFA is responsible for organizing DR Congo's national league, Linafoot and operating the DR Congo Football Team. Omari Selemani is the current president of this association.

History of DR Congo National Football Team: Early Years

The history of the DR Congo National Football Team is nothing short of an inspiring story, which is enough to encourage any nation that is dreaming of global recognition. The Panthers saw everything in their journey from the 20th century to recent years - rise, fall and revival, with the last one coming under the current DR Congo national football team manager, Sebastien Desabre. As the country was under the management of several foreign rulers, it adopted different names over the years. But in the 1930s, they started playing competitive yet unofficial football matches under the name of Congo-Kinshasa.

When the Belgian colonial era came to an end in the 1970s, the DR Congo football team players started to play for Zaire, a new name given to their country at that moment. The golden era of the African nation arrived when they broke the shackles by lifting two African Cup of Nations silverwares in 1968 and 1974. Later, a participation in the FIFA World Cup cemented their place as one of the rising powerhouses of the continent.

But, then came the era of decline. Political instability and financial crunch limited the distribution of resources for the development of the game, leaving the raw talents of the country staring at an uncertain future. After 1990, things started to change in the country, and with those the environment and system of the game also witnessed developments. And in recent years, the Leopards have yet again revived their competitive nature through modern infrastructure and tactical revolution. Results? A fine run in the 2023 AFCON and a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 play-offs.

Home Stadium of DR Congo National Football Team

The DR Congo National Football Team stadium is Pentecost Martyrs Stadium, which is renowned as Stade des Martyrs. This iconic venue was built in 1993, but then it had a different name - Stade Kamanyola. But the current name was adopted in 1997. The Pentecost Martyrs Stadium is situated in the capital city of DR Congo, Kinshasa.
The purpose of this stadium was to organize different sporting events of the country. And that's why the engineering marvel is huge in dimension and allows 80,000 spectators to enjoy any events. This is the home ground of DR Congo national football team, Association Sportive Vita Club and Daring Club Motema Pembe. Well, Stade des Martyrs is actually the identity of the African nation's rich footballing identity, if you want to say.

DR Congo National Football Team: Achievements & Honours

The DR Congo national football team started their official journey back in the 1960s only, giving them a little window to make a global impression. But, the plethora of talent, trained and armed by the elite European clubs, didn't take long to win the first silverware for the war-torn country. From 1968 to 1974, within six years, the Panthers announced their arrival in style, lifting two prestigious AFCON titles. They also savored great campings in the African Nations Championship, clinching two accolades, with the last one coming in 2016, their most recent title.
And now, if they manage to earn a ticket to the USA for the FIFA World Cup 2026, then it will be one of the biggest achievements in the sports history of the country. The DR Congo national football team is just eyeing to restore its long-lost glory.