DR Congo Name World Cup Squad with Veteran Gael Kakuta Recalled

Gael Kakuta returns as DR Congo announce 2026 World Cup Squad 

DR Congo announce their 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. Veteran Gael Kakuta returns as the Leopards prepare for their first finals appearance in 50 years.

DR Congo reveal their squad for a first World Cup since 1974. The Leopards will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K with Kakuta back in the fold...

Gael Kakuta has been recalled to the Democratic Republic of Congo squad. Coach Sebastien Desabre named a 26-man group on Monday as the team prepares for its first World Cup appearance in 50 years.

Kakuta will be 35 during the finals in Canada, Mexico, and the USA next month. He has played only twice for Congo in the last two years. His last call-up came as an injury replacement at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco earlier this year.

He was not included in March when Congo beat Jamaica in an inter-confederation playoff in Mexico to become the 10th African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. That omission suggested his international career might be over.

Kakuta first rose to prominence as a Chelsea youth prospect. His move from France as a teenager sparked controversy, but he never established himself at Stamford Bridge. Since then he has played for 15 clubs across nine countries.

Elsewhere, Desabre kept faith with the core of the squad that finished fourth at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and reached the last 16 in Morocco.

“The squad has picked itself because we’ve all been together now for some four years. The World Cup is no forum for ‌experimenting or development,” he said on Monday.

D.R. Congo are in Group K for the finals, where they will face Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan.

“We want to play to our best level, and our objective is to get past the first phase, which I believe is well within our capacity,” Desabre added.

When the country last played at the World Cup in West Germany in 1974, it was known as Zaire. They lost all three matches, including a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia.

D.R. Congo's World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liege), Timothy Fayulu (Noah), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre)

Defenders: Dylan Batubinsika (Larisa), Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian), Gedeon ‌Kalulu (Aris Limassol), Steve Kapuadi (Widzew Lodz), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk), Arthur Masuaku (Racing Lens), Chancel Mbemba (Lille), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United)

Midfielders: Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow), Brian Cipenga (Castellon), Elia Meshack (Alanyaspor), Gael Kakuta (Larissa), Edo Kayembe (Watford), Nathanael Mbuku (Montpellier), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos), Ngalayel Mukau (Lille), Charles Pickel (Espanyol), Noah ⁠Sadiki (Sunderland)

Forwards: Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis), ⁠Simon Banza (Al Jazira), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids), ‌Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United)

📋 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄

🌟 Le sélectionneur-manager Sébastien Desabre 🇨🇩 a retenu 26 Léopards 🐆 pour défendre les couleurs de la RD Congo à la phase finale de la Coupe du Monde 2026.

52 ans après, une nouvelle génération de Léopards s’apprête à porter les rêves de… pic.twitter.com/55SzxtNsuR

— Fecofa RDC_Officiel (@FecofaRdc) May 18, 2026