DR Congo World Cup 2026 Full Squad List

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_Dr Congo World Cup 2026_ Full Squad List, Group A

Group, fixtures, dates and kickoff times

Group: K – Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia.[^5][^2][^1]

Group-stage fixtures for DR Congo (2026 World Cup):[^6][^7][^1][^5]

(For betting/TV purposes, these correspond roughly to 13:00, 22:00 and 23:30 Eastern Time respectively.)[^5][^6]

Full 26-man squad (by position)

Official World Cup squad as named for the pre‑tournament friendlies vs Denmark and Chile and the finals in North America.[^7][^4][^1]

Goalkeepers (3)[^1]

Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre) – GK
Timothy Fayulu (Noah) – GK
Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liège) – GK

Defenders (8)[^4][^7][^1]

Aaron Wan‑Bissaka (West Ham United) – RB
Steve Kapuadi (Widzew Łódź) – CB
Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley) – CB
Dylan Batubinsika (AEL) – CB
Joris Kayembe (Genk) – LB/LWB
Chancel Mbemba (Lille) – CB, captain
Gédéon Kalulu (Aris Limassol) – RB/LB
Arthur Masuaku (Lens) – LB

Midfielders (10)[^7][^4][^1]

Ngal’ayel Mukau (Lille) – CM
Nathanaël Mbuku (Montpellier) – AM/Wide 10
Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos) – CM/DM
Brian Cipenga (Castellón) – WM/AM
Théo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow) – AM/Winger
Gaël Kakuta (AEL) – AM/No.10
Noah Sadiki (Sunderland) – CM/RB option
Aaron Tshibola (Kilmarnock) – CM/DM
Charles Pickel (Espanyol) – CM/DM
Edo Kayembe (Watford) – CM/DM

Forwards (5)[^4][^1][^7]

Meschak Elia (Alanyaspor) – wide forward
Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis) – CF, vice‑captain
Fiston Mayele (Pyramids) – CF
Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United) – wide forward/CF
Simon Banza (Al Jazira) – CF

Manager and tactical approach

Manager: Sébastien Desabre (French), in charge since 2022 with a mandate to qualify for World Cup 2026.[^8][^1][^7][^4]

Core principles and shape

CAF’s own profile notes that Desabre builds on “tactical discipline and collective organisation”, prioritising a solid defensive block plus fast counterattacks through an energetic midfield.[^9]
Current previews list their nominal base as a 4‑1‑4‑1 or 4‑3‑3, often flexing into a 4‑2‑3‑1 depending on the opposition and whether Kakuta/Bongonda are used centrally.[^10][^9]

In practice, expect:

Out of possession: compact mid‑block, Mbemba marshalling a relatively narrow back four, full‑backs (Wan‑Bissaka/Masuaku or Kayembe) stepping out aggressively only once the block is set; emphasis on keeping central zones protected and forcing play wide.[^11][^9][^1]
In transition: quick vertical attacks after regains, using Moutoussamy/Pickel/Kayembe to win second balls and then immediately finding Elia, Bongonda or Wissa in wide channels, with Bakambu/Banza attacking the box.[^12][^9][^11]
On the ball: Desabre’s teams tend to avoid sterile possession; they’re comfortable going direct into the front line or wide, rather than insisting on building through deep circulation. Match‑preview sites describe DR Congo as pacey and direct, with high wingers and at least one fixed central striker.[^10][^9][^11]

For betting/analytics purposes: think organised mid‑block + transition threat, not a high‑press, high‑possession side.

Key players to watch

Grounding it in both qualification and AFCON form:[^13][^11][^12][^1][^4]

Chancel Mbemba (Lille, CB)
Captain, record cap‑holder, and emotional leader; scored the 90+1’ winner away to Cameroon in a crucial qualifier and is central to their defensive structure.[^11][^1]
Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis, CF)
All‑time near‑top scorer for DR Congo, with 21 goals in 69 caps, and still the primary penalty‑box reference. He was decisive in qualifiers (multiple goals vs South Sudan and Senegal) and remains their most natural finisher.[^13][^1][^11]
Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United, forward)
Premier League‑hardened, offers vertical runs, pressing, and goals cutting in from wide; scored in key qualifiers and warm‑up matches, and is regularly flagged as one of the names neutral fans will recognise.[^1][^13][^4]
Meschak Elia (Alanyaspor, wide forward/10)
High‑work‑rate runner who links transitions and can be used either as a winger or “pseudo‑10”; scored the equaliser vs Nigeria in the play‑off and is one of the three captains.[^12][^4][^1]
Théo Bongonda \& Gaël Kakuta (creative mids)
Bongonda gives ball‑carrying and shooting threat from the half‑spaces; Kakuta, recalled at 34, brings vision on the half‑turn and was influential at AFCON 2025 group stage.[^7][^11][^1]
Defensive spine (Moutoussamy, Pickel, Kayembe)
This trio underpins Desabre’s “defensive solidity is the bedrock” mantra from the play‑off tournament: strong in duels, comfortable shuttling to the flanks, and crucial for screening the back four.[^9][^12]

From a content/affiliate standpoint, these are the natural “player props” hooks: Mbemba (tackles/blocks), Bakambu/Wissa/Banza (shots/goals), Bongonda (shots/assists), and Elia (shots+chances created).

World Cup history

DR Congo (as Zaire) were the first Sub‑Saharan African team ever to reach a World Cup, qualifying for the 1974 finals in West Germany.[^12][^1]
That 1974 campaign ended at the group stage: 3 defeats, 0 goals scored, 14 conceded, including a 9–0 loss to Yugoslavia, which remains one of the heaviest defeats in World Cup history.[^1][^12]
2026 is therefore their second World Cup appearance and the first in 52 years, a narrative heavily emphasised by most previews and CAF/press coverage.[^4][^7][^1]

This “back after half a century” storyline will feature strongly in broadcast and brand content, and is a useful thematic hook for long‑form pieces.

Qualifying campaign (route to 2026)

From the official DR Congo federation record and media recaps:[^14][^11][^4][^12][^1]

. CAF group stage (first round)
Finished second behind Senegal in their CAF World Cup qualification group, with notable wins away to South Sudan (4–1), Togo (1–0) and at home vs Sudan (1–0).[^14][^1]
Lost 3–2 at home to Senegal in a wild game but overall showed strong defensive numbers and consistent scoring from Bakambu and Wissa.[^11][^1]
. CAF play‑offs (second round)
Beat Cameroon 1–0 on neutral ground in Rabat, Mbemba scoring in stoppage time.[^11][^1]
Then eliminated Nigeria in a two‑legged‑style tie hosted in Morocco: 1–1 after extra time, before winning 4–3 on penalties with key contributions from Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Tuanzebe, Mayele, Balikwisha and Mbemba in the shootout.[^14][^12][^1]
. Inter‑confederation play‑off (final step)
Faced Jamaica in Guadalajara, winning 1–0 after extra time, with Axel Tuanzebe heading in the decisive 100th‑minute goal to clinch World Cup qualification; the result triggered major celebrations and even an official public holiday back home.[^12][^1]

Form lines into the tournament are solid: across the last 14 competitive matches in the year leading into 2026, they were reported as losing just once (to Senegal), with multiple clean sheets under Desabre.[^1][^11]

Odds to qualify from Group K

Odds will move, but as of late May–early June 2026, several major books broadly agree on DR Congo’s pricing:[^3][^15][^16][^17]

To win Group K
Portugal: heavy favourites around 1.45–1.50 (decimal).[^17][^3]
Colombia: ~3.10–3.50.
DR Congo: roughly 16.0–21.0 (16/1 to 20/1).
Uzbekistan: 26.0–40.0.
To qualify for the Round of 32 (top two or one of best third‑placed teams)
One major Australian book shows DR Congo at 2.20 to qualify (decimal), behind Portugal (1.01) and Colombia (1.07), and ahead of Uzbekistan (3.00).[^3]
A big odds‑comparison site lists group qualification prices around Yes +110 / No –138 in American odds, i.e. basically “coin‑flip with a slight lean towards elimination”.[^16]
Framing it simply:
Market view: DR Congo are clear outsiders for the group win, but roughly evens to slightly odds‑against to reach the knockouts thanks to the expanded format and the winnable game vs Uzbekistan.[^13][^3][^4]
Books still expect Portugal and Colombia to take the automatic spots, but models and previews repeatedly highlight a realistic path where DR Congo draw one of those giants and beat Uzbekistan to sneak through as second or one of the best third‑placed teams.[^13][^7][^4]

For your own pricing/content, this gives a nice angle: underdog with genuine path – plenty of narrative value and potential for value‑hunt pieces on “dark horses to qualify from the groups”.

⁂

[^1]: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2026-dr-congo-players-squad-list-key-stats-schedule

[^2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_FIFA_World_Cup_Group_K

[^3]: https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/soccer/world-cup/groups/world-cup-2026-group-k-9910488

[^4]: https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/dr-congo-world-cup-2026-squad

[^5]: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/congo-dr-world-cup-2026-schedule-locations-dates-times

[^6]: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48939282/2026-fifa-world-cup-fixtures-results-match-schedule-group-stage-knockout-rounds-bracket

[^7]: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/13543106/world-cup-2026-group-k-guide-fixtures-schedule-standings-and-odds-for-portugal-dr-congo-uzbekistan-and-colombia

[^8]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sébastien_Desabre

[^9]: https://www.cafonline.com/afcon2025/news/totalenergies-caf-afcon-2025-know-the-coach-sebastien-desabre-dr-congo/

[^10]: https://www.matchbingo.co.uk/world-cup-2026/congo-dr

[^11]: https://www.africa-press.net/en/sport/dr-congo-team-from-modest-side-to-rising-giant