Congo DR World Cup 2026: Full Squad & Team Guide

Congo DR World Cup 2026: complete fan guide

The 2026 Congo DR World Cup quest is a story the world of football should pay attention to. Africa's Democratic Republic of Congo is back on the global football spectacle, the World Cup - which for the 90 million people back home in DRC means a great deal. The DRC are a real football-following nation, with a real following; a team brimming with European stars. This is only their second appearance at the FIFA World Cup and this squad they have sent to the 2026 finals are possibly the strongest the country has produced since…well, ever. Not hyperbole. Just check the names.

Congo DR World Cup 2026: group, fixtures, and route to the knockouts

Congo DR land in Group K (with Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan). To be honest, it's a hard group to get out of. But it is far from impossible. Games in the expanded 48 team World Cups are going to be more competitive than they ever have before, and third place in each is good enough to send teams through to the knockout stages.

Here's the complete list of the fixtures for the group stage:

Fixture	Date	Venue	Kickoff UTC	Local Note
Portugal vs Congo DR	17 June 2026	To be confirmed	17:00 UTC	Check local broadcaster
Colombia vs Congo DR	24 June 2026	To be confirmed	02:00 UTC	Check local broadcaster
Congo DR vs Uzbekistan	27 June 2026	To be confirmed	23:30 UTC	Check local broadcaster

The opener of Portugal on 17 June: This sets the tone, whether it is there by Cristiano Ronaldo by then or not, but Portugal would seriously be playing the games. Next up it is Colombia on 24 June, which as is per the fixtures it is scheduled for around 02:00 UTC which would be the worst for those parts of central Africa that want to view games live. However then Congo DR close the group with a fixture against Uzbekistan on 27 June, the kind of match that can possibly go on to seal who qualifies for the next round.

The squad: coach and key players

This would be the time when we get to know who the new head coach will be. From all the available data there hasn't been an official announcement. It is time FECOFA addresses it rapidly given the proximity of the competition.

Now, the players themselves are not a problem. The main men for the Congo DR World Cup 2026 squad:

• Yoane Wissa (Centre-Forward) has been the most reliable striker in the Premier League in the last couple of seasons and a great mix of finishing and pace that he would make CONGO D.R's biggest attacking outlet at this tournament
• Cédric Bakambu (Centre-Forward) is the senior member of this team. He's been a mainstay in international football for a long time and can offer valuable concentration and experience in the heat of battle that a great many younger players do not possess.
• Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a Premier League-proven, athletic presence from right-back who clearly knows his way around a high-level defensive challenge.
• Chancel Mbemba Centre Back Experienced, reliable defender; can cope with the intensity of Champions League action.
• Gaël Kakuta (Midfield) The creative spark in midfield. When this guy is switched on the entire team just operate differently.
• A young 21-year-old in the shape of [Ngal'ayel Mukau (Defensive Midfield)] who is starting to turn in some real quality. Someone who has the ability to be a real bolter in this tournament.

Then finally we've 20-year-old keeper Matthieu Epolo the keeper, a guy born in 2005, representing the next future crop of players coming through this team.

Tactical identity

The Congo DR tends to go for a front-foot direct style, and the team shapes seem to indicate either a 4-3-3 or a tight 4-2-3-1 set up, featuring tricky forwards in wide positions (Wissa & Theo Bongonda) in order to make the opposing defenders go wide.

It feels like there's often the potential for the middle of the park to be either strong and aggressive or skillful. Playing Kakuta as the central playmaker in front of a DM like Mukau or Edo Kayembe seems like a formation that could bring the best from the players in this area. And it feels like there's very stiff competition between Wissa, Bakambu, Simon Banza and Fiston Mayele up front - which, all in all, can't be a bad thing at all. Whoever the head coach of DR Congo, should one still remain, turns out to be, he will certainly have talent at his disposal for his preparations for the World Cup 2026 campaign.

How Congo DR has fared at past World Cups

The only appearance in a World Cup was in West Germany 1974, when Congo DR were known as Zaire, and it's not for good reasons. We were treated to that bizarre moment when a Zaire player ran past the wall just as it was being put up and kicked the ball from a free kick before being told not to. They lost all their 3 games in their group and shipped in 14 goals.

But the thing about that is, that was over five decades ago. The 2026 squad has nothing in common, other than the crest, with the 1974 edition. This is another generation, with a whole different set of support, a totally different coaching background, with an abundance of young talent playing club football in Europe's top leagues. The past is blank on the World Cup record and ready for a complete overhaul.

Where to watch Congo DR matches

There's also variation in broadcasting partners for matches depending on which country or region you are tuning in from. The team factsheet for Congo DR does not outline their broadcasting partners country by country but coverage is expected to be announced nearer to the tournament.

The easiest way forward is to view the World Cup 2026 hub and consult its county-by-country fixture lists once broadcaster confirmation. As a general rule, broadcast allocation through FIFA means that wherever you are, in almost all instances you will find that there is an official broadcaster in your region that holds rights to all games from the group stages - all you have to do is check what national football or sports channel you usually watch and find the schedule.

Fans in the DR Congo should tune into national TV stations as coverage of this match, being of a huge national interest to them, is expected. For a full overview of all nations that have secured their place at the tournament, the complete guide to qualified nations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a useful reference point.

Realistic expectations

To be honest, in Group K, Congo DR's goal has to be third-place with a chance of qualifying as one of the best-third-placed sides. Outright qualification relies heavily on snatching points against Portugal or Colombia, which is incredibly tough. However, in June's contest on the 27th against Uzbekistan, an outright victory is there for the taking and you can never say never when Colombia or Portugal could slip up once in a blue moon against a side that possesses Wissa, Bakambu and Wan-Bissaka in their XI.

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