By The African Meridian Newsroom | 2 July 2026
KINSHASA, DR Congo — DR Congo’s return to the World Cup stage came to an end on Wednesday, as the team — competing under the FIFA country code COD — fell 2-1 to England in the round of 32, despite holding a 1-0 lead at halftime. The result denied DR Congo a place in the last 16 and instead sent England through to face Mexico in the next round.
DR Congo had stunned England for much of the first half, taking the lead and carrying it into the break to the surprise of a tournament favoured to advance comfortably. England responded after the interval, fighting back through two second-half goals from captain Harry Kane to complete the turnaround and avoid what would have been one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
The exit caps a notable run for DR Congo, which had rallied from behind to beat Uzbekistan in their final group match in Atlanta to book a knockout-stage place in the first place. That victory, and Wednesday’s spirited first-half performance against one of the tournament favourites, will be remembered as high points of the team’s World Cup campaign even as it ends short of the last 16.
DR Congo becomes the latest African representative to exit the tournament at the round of 32, alongside Senegal, South Africa and Ivory Coast, each of whom also went out at the same stage this week. All four teams will nonetheless take home a share of FIFA’s prize money for reaching the knockout rounds, a modest financial return for campaigns that fell just short of the last 16.