DR Congo
DR Congo return after a 52-year absence, having last appeared in 1974 as Zaire under Mobutu. Sébastien Desabre, the French coach who took over in 2022, has built around the European-based core: Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis) leads the line, Yoane Wissa (Newcastle) and Silas Katompa (Stuttgart) provide pace, Chancel Mbemba (anchor of the back), and goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. The Leopards reached the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, signalling that this generation is no longer just a footnote. Group K with Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia is challenging — second place would require beating either Uzbekistan and at minimum drawing with Colombia. The country has waited two generations for this moment; advancing past the group stage for the first time in their history is the legacy-defining target.
Upcoming matches
Group K standings
| # | Teams | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DR Congo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Uzbekistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |