The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is set to return to the World Cup stage after 52 years.
DR Congo will face Portugal in their opening match of the Group K stage of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup at 2 a.m. KST on June 18 at Houston Stadium in the United States. The group also includes Uzbekistan and Colombia.
This marks DR Congo's second World Cup appearance, with their first being in the 1974 West Germany World Cup, when they were known as Zaire. The country used the name Zaire from 1971 until 1997, when it was changed to its current name.
The memories from 1974 are not fond. Competing as Zaire, DR Congo lost all three group stage matches without scoring a goal, conceding 14. They were defeated 2-0 by Scotland, 9-0 by Yugoslavia, and 3-0 by Brazil, ending their first World Cup experience.
In this return match, DR Congo faces a formidable opponent in Portugal, which is considered a strong favorite to top Group K, featuring stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Vitinha. If Ronaldo scores in this tournament, he will become the first player in men's World Cup history to score in six different tournaments.
DR Congo also boasts several players with experience in European leagues. The team is led by captain Chancel Mbemba, along with Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Cedric Bakambu, and Joan Wissa.
The expanded tournament format now includes 48 teams, with the top two teams from each group, as well as the eight best third-placed teams, advancing to the knockout stage. While Portugal and Colombia are viewed as the frontrunners in the group, DR Congo could still have a chance to progress depending on the outcomes of their matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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