The Democratic Republic of the Congo national football team, the Leopards, has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team secured its place by finishing top of its CAF qualification group following a 0-0 draw with Jamaica's Reggae Boyz in Kinshasa on March 31, 2026.
The final group stage match, played at the Stade des Martyrs, saw a tightly contested game with few clear chances. The official starting lineups for the match were as follows. For DR Congo: Mpasi; Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Mbuku; Wissa, Bakambu, Elia. For Jamaica: Blake; Latibeaudiere, King, Pinnock, Webster; Palmer, Hayden, Reid; Bailey, Cadamarteri, and another player.
The result gave DR Congo the necessary point to win its qualification group, marking a historic return to the World Cup for the nation. The 2026 tournament, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the Leopards' first World Cup appearance since 1974.
