DR Congo Seeks World Cup Return After 52 Years

DR Congo aims to end 50-year World Cup wait against Jamaica

DR Congo looks to return to World Cup after 50+ years, facing Jamaica in crucial play-off in Guadalajara, Mexico, with key striker Yoane Wissa back from injury.

DR Congo faces Jamaica in inter-confederation play-off, aiming to end years of World Cup absence and make history in Group K with Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan...

DR Congo is on the cusp of making history – they're just one win away from ending a 50+ year World Cup drought. Their last appearance was back in 1974, when they were known as Zaire, and it didn't exactly go smoothly.

The 1974 tournament in West Germany was a tough one for the team, and they've been working towards a return ever since. Now, they're set to face Jamaica in a crucial play-off – can they finally make it back to the big stage?

Meanwhile, Jamaica is gearing up to face DR Congo on Tuesday in Guadalajara, Mexico, for a spot in the World Cup, after beating New Caledonia 1-0 in their inter-confederation play-off semi-final. Bailey Cadamarteri scored the winning goal in the 18th minute, and Jamaica will now face DR Congo, who were seeded directly into the play-off decider.

The winner of this match will secure a spot in Group K, alongside Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan. Jamaica is aiming to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1998, and they're looking strong with players like Leon Bailey leading the charge.

DR Congo's momentum is building! They've been on a roll, winning crucial play-offs in Morocco back in November. They took down Cameroon and then stunned Nigeria with a strong display, showcasing their potential.

Finishing just behind Senegal in their African qualifying group wasn't enough to secure a direct spot, but it set them up perfectly for the play-offs. Now, they're looking to keep the momentum going against Jamaica.

“We're really fired up,” ‌said coach Sebastien Desabre of the opportunity to compete at the finals in Canada, Mexico, and the US in June.

“We're still on course to meet our main objective. That's the goal we set ourselves when I took this job three and a half years ago. This final will be our 13th match since our qualifying campaign began,” he added.

DR Congo's form has been promising under Desabre. They made it to the AFCON semi-finals in Ivory Coast early 2024, though their latest outing in Morocco saw them exit in the last 16.

A big boost for the team - key striker Yoane Wissa is back from injury and scored in a 2-0 win over Bermuda on Wednesday. Fresh and firing, he's sure to be a threat to Jamaica.

“We're lucky enough to have talented players who ply their trade at top clubs,” added Desabre.

“Above all, everyone has really bought into the project we’ve been building together. Everyone is pulling in the same direction to achieve a common goal.

“We can make it tough for our opponents because we play as a unit: our forwards track back, our defenders push forward, and everyone pulls together, as if they were soldiers going into battle for their country,” the French-born coach said.

If DR Congo qualifies, it'll be a big moment for African football - the World Cup field expands to 48 teams, and Africa will have 10 representatives.

[📸 𝐒𝐄́𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐔 𝐉𝐎𝐔𝐑 🐆]

Retour en images sur l’entraînement de nos Léopards 🇨🇩 du 26 mars à Guadalajara 🇲🇽.

Engagés, souriants et déterminés, nos fauves enchaînent un travail intense avec un seul mot d’ordre : rester focus sur l’objectif. 💪🏾🐆🔥#FecofaRDC… pic.twitter.com/KT92p645mb

— Fecofa RDC_Officiel (@FecofaRdc) March 27, 2026

Back in 1974, DR Congo (then Zaire) was Africa's lone representative, and it was a tough tournament. They suffered heavy defeats to Yugoslavia (9-0), Brazil, and Scotland. Their approach was criticized, and when they returned home, the team was disbanded.

DR Congo's got a chance to rewrite history. A win against Jamaica would put them in Group K, and they're set for some tough matches: Portugal in Houston on June 17th, Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23rd, and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27th.

The stakes are high, but the Congolese are ready to make their mark.