DR Congo

DR Congo enter World Cup 2026 in Group K, where the early tests are Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan. DR Congo have never won the World Cup and last appeared as Zaire in 1974, when they exited in the group stage. Returning to the finals would be a major national moment. The current squad is shaped around Chancel Mbemba, Cedric Bakambu, and Yoane Wissa, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. The squad has enough athleticism to disrupt Group K if it stays organized. Mbemba's leadership and Wissa's movement give DR Congo a puncher's chance in tight matches. If DR Congo can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.