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 at the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup on June 18 at 2 a.m. KST at Houston Stadium in the United States. The group also includes Uzbekistan and Colombia.
This marks DR Congo's second appearance in the World Cup, with their first being in the 1974 West Germany tournament 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 single goal, conceding 14. They were defeated 2-0 by Scotland, 9-0 by Yugoslavia, and 3-0 by Brazil, concluding their first World Cup experience.
This time, they face 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 to score in six different men's World Cups.
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, who form the core of the squad.
In this expanded World Cup featuring 48 teams, not only the top two teams from each group will advance, but also the eight best third-placed teams will qualify for 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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