DR Congo Now · Les LéopardsThe return was real.Now make it a platform.
The Leopards returned to the World Cup and reached the knockout stage. Desabre’s next task is less romantic and just as important: turn a six-point qualifying start into an AFCON place, while finding which new combinations can support the established spine.
DR Congo
Latest result: Uganda 1–1 DR Congo
Full time · 5 October 2026The second Uganda friendly ended level in Johannesburg. ACP and Radio Okapi report Mbuku as DR Congo’s scorer. Read the completed-match report. The two qualifiers and two friendlies are separated in the results filter below.
Where DR Congo stand now
Current situationSeptember and October told two different stories. DR Congo took six qualifying points by beating Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe, then used a changed group for two friendlies against Uganda: a 0–2 defeat and a 1–1 draw. The friendlies matter for selection, but they do not change the Group E table.
Desabre has a stable objective and an evolving team. Mbemba’s leadership, Wissa’s runs and a midfield able to connect the first pass remain useful reference points. The new faces need meaningful relationships around them, not just a place in a long list of names.
FECOFA’s October schedule makes Sierra Leone the next competitive test: Kinshasa on 12 November, then a return in El Jadida on 17 November. The two games are an opportunity to strengthen the qualifying position, not proof that qualification or a third African title is already secured.
The competitive start delivered
Two wins, four goals scored and one conceded put the Leopards first after the opening Group E double-header. Keep those two games separate from the friendly experiments.
Two venues, one qualifying objective
The first game is in Kinshasa. The return is Sierra Leone’s home fixture in Morocco. A home/away label is not always the country in which the match is played.
Depth needs more than new names
The South Africa camp offered different players and combinations. Its results ask whether the first receiver, wide support and cover behind the ball can remain connected.
FECOFA supports the schedule, coaching context, qualifiers and dated player pool. FUFA confirms the first Uganda friendly; ACP and Radio Okapi corroborate the second. Squad availability and a future team sheet remain separate from past participation. Tactical judgments are TrophyDrought editorial analysis, not statements from the coaching staff.
Keep the platform, test the connections
Facts first · interpretation secondDR Congo's 2026 checkpoint
Two AFCON qualifiers · two wins · goals 4–1.
Two Uganda friendlies · one draw, one defeat · goals 1–3.
Sierra Leone double-header · Kinshasa, then El Jadida.
These are completed-match totals and confirmed calendar checkpoints, not invented performance ratings.
The World Cup return was a milestone, not a replacement for continental qualifying. DR Congo must still earn an AFCON place. The six-point start gives them a platform; integrating newer players without disconnecting the experienced core is the next football problem.
Two campaigns, two different readings
Qualifiers and friendlies kept separateScoring and conceding
Blue shows goals scored; grey shows goals conceded. All bars use a 0–2 scale. These are match totals, not expected goals or a player rating.
4 matches · 5 scored · 4 conceded · 2 wins · 1 draw · 1 defeat
DR Congo’s goals first
| Date | Opponent | Score | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2026 | Equatorial GuineaQualifiers | 2–0 | Win |
| 28 September 2026 | ZimbabweQualifiers | 2–1 | Win |
| 2 October 2026 | UgandaFriendlies | 0–2 | Loss |
| 5 October 2026 | UgandaFriendlies | 1–1 | Draw |
The Sierra Leone double-header
AFCON 2027 · Group EUse the federation’s dated announcement rather than a provisional calendar. The first fixture is in Kinshasa; the second is in El Jadida, Morocco. Both belong to the AFCON qualifying group, not a two-leg knockout tie.
Fixture dates: FECOFA · 14 October schedule notice. Home kickoff is 17:00 Kinshasa (WAT, UTC+1). The return’s 16:00 is reproduced as printed in the notice; no extra timezone conversion or second countdown is assumed. Recheck organiser notices before travel.
Three questions before November
Editorial watchlistWho receives the pass beyond the first pressure?
If the midfielder can only return the ball to a centre-back, possession stays safe but predictable. An inside receiver and a wide option need to appear at different heights.
Can the wide player find support before the duel?
Mbuku or Bongonda can threaten a defender, but an isolated winger still needs a return pass and a runner. The supporting angle can be as important as the first burst.
Who protects the channel when a full-back advances?
Width should not pull the midfield screen away from the centre-backs. Progression and cover need to move together, especially after an intercepted pass.
How DR Congo could connect
Interactive tactical explainerGive Sadiki an angle beyond pressure
Mbemba is the first-pass reference, Tshibola the nearby support and Sadiki the receiver beyond the first pressure. Essende holds the forward line. The names come from a completed camp, not a confirmed November lineup.
This diagram explains relationships, not a confirmed formation. Player availability, squad selection and roles can change before the match window.
Players who shape the next step
Roles, not a predicted XIChancel Mbemba
FECOFA named him captain and scorer in the opening qualifier, then listed him in the South Africa camp. Here he represents the first pass and the defensive anchor, not a guarantee of November selection.
Yoane Wissa
Goals in both opening qualifiers show recent competitive impact. The tactical issue is how support arrives around the forward run; a new camp still needs its own availability and selection checks.
Nathanaël Mbuku
A set-piece delivery helped open the qualifying campaign, and he scored in the second Uganda friendly. His width is most useful when there is an inside receiver and support behind the ball.
Recent involvement is not November selection
Squad and availabilitySeparate the two camp phases
FECOFA describes a changed group for the South Africa friendlies. Its camp list includes Mbemba, Sadiki, Tshibola, Mbuku, Bongonda and Essende, among others. That supports the dated names on the tactical board, not a guaranteed November XI.
Wissa scored in both opening qualifiers, while Mbemba was named captain in the opener. Their recent roles matter, but a future call-up remains a separate decision.
Keep medical claims dated
FECOFA sent support to Lionel Mpasi after a club injury in September. That establishes a past report, not a recovery date or his current availability. Desabre also discussed changes to the September list after injuries; those changes must not become automatic November exclusions.
A new squad list and current federation or club medical updates are needed before promising that a player will start, has recovered or is suspended.
FECOFA · completed camp · FECOFA · dated Mpasi report · Desabre · selection context.
DR Congo Now FAQs
Quick answersWhen is DR Congo’s next match?
DR Congo next face Sierra Leone on 12 November 2026 at Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. FECOFA’s 14 October schedule lists a 17:00 kickoff. The return is on 17 November at Stade El Abdi in El Jadida, Morocco, with 16:00 printed in the same notice.
Where will DR Congo play Sierra Leone?
The first game is at Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa on 12 November. Sierra Leone’s nominal home return on 17 November is at Stade El Abdi in El Jadida, Morocco, not in Freetown.
What time is DR Congo v Sierra Leone?
FECOFA lists 17:00 in Kinshasa for 12 November. Kinshasa uses WAT (UTC+1), so the home-game countdown targets 16:00 UTC. For the return, the notice prints 16:00; this page reproduces that listing without inventing an additional timezone conversion.
Why do some sites show 11 November?
This page follows FECOFA’s dated 14 October notice, which specifies 12 November for the Kinshasa match and 17 November for the return. Older provisional listings should not replace the newer federation schedule.
What was DR Congo’s latest result?
The Leopards drew 1–1 with Uganda in Johannesburg on 5 October 2026. ACP and Radio Okapi report Nathanaël Mbuku as DR Congo’s scorer. The exact goal minute varies between reports and is not used here.
How many points do DR Congo have in AFCON qualifying?
Six from two Group E matches: a 2–0 win over Equatorial Guinea and a 2–1 away win over Zimbabwe. The two friendlies against Uganda do not add or remove qualifying points.
Who are DR Congo’s AFCON 2027 qualifying opponents?
Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe are the other Group E teams. After the opening two qualifiers DR Congo led the group on six points; a place at the finals is not yet secured.
Who coaches DR Congo?
Sébastien Desabre. FECOFA’s September press conference sets out the new qualifying campaign and the need to retain a strong core while creating competition for places.
Is Chancel Mbemba still part of the team?
FECOFA identifies Mbemba as captain and a goalscorer in the September opener, and names him in the subsequent South Africa camp. That establishes recent involvement, not a guarantee of November availability or a starting place.
Will Yoane Wissa play in November?
Wissa scored in both opening qualifiers, according to FECOFA. A new call-up and current fitness information are still required before treating him as selected or available for Sierra Leone.
What is known about Lionel Mpasi?
FECOFA published a message of support on 17 September after a club injury. That is a dated injury report, not confirmation of his recovery or of his status for November. The next squad and a current medical update must settle that question.
Have DR Congo announced their November squad?
The player lists used here describe the completed September–October camp. They are not a November call-up. Missing names, substitutions and past injuries are not used to invent new exclusions or suspensions.
Did DR Congo play at the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. Their return after 1974 reached the round of 32, where England won 2–1 on 1 July in Atlanta. The World Cup run is complete; the next competitive task is AFCON qualifying.
How many AFCON titles have DR Congo won?
Two: 1968 as Congo-Kinshasa and 1974 as Zaire. The separate CHAN titles for home-based national teams are not counted as new AFCON or World Cup wins.
Are DR Congo and Congo the same national team?
No. DR Congo represents the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with Kinshasa as its capital. Congo represents the Republic of the Congo. Their profiles, titles and fixtures are separate on this site.
Is the tactical board an official lineup?
No. It uses names from FECOFA’s completed camp to explain possible passing relationships. It is not a November squad announcement, a confirmed formation or a predicted starting XI.
Sources, verification and next reads
Federation and match reportsSources used here
- FECOFA · opening qualifier and captain
- FECOFA · Zimbabwe result and Group E table
- FUFA · completed 2–0 Uganda win
- ACP · completed 1–1 friendly
- Radio Okapi · independent report of the draw
- FECOFA · confirmed November venues and dates
- FECOFA · South Africa camp player pool
- FECOFA · Desabre’s qualifying brief
- FECOFA · dated Mpasi injury support
- England Football · completed World Cup knockout match
- CAF · Group E and qualifying framework
- CAF · historical two-title record
Fixtures, competition records and appointments are checked against governing-body or federation pages. The page is an editorial update, not an automatic news feed.