The cod soccer team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will open its 2026 World Cup group against Portugal, then face Colombia and Uzbekistan in a schedule that tests the discipline Sébastien Desabre has built since 2022. The draw hands DR Congo three matches in three cities, with the opener set for Houston on 17 June at noon local time.
Desabre has pushed the side into a compact 4-1-4-1 formation, with the option to switch to a back three when needed. His own standard is blunt: “Discipline must begin on the pitch.”
Desabre’s DR Congo structure
The coach has guided DR Congo through qualification with a sharper defensive shape and a clearer collective identity. The team’s route was not soft either: it eliminated Cameroon late in qualification, beat Nigeria on penalties and then defeated Jamaica in extra time of the intercontinental playoff.
That run mattered because it showed a side that no longer breaks apart when matches turn tight. DR Congo had not lost a match by more than one goal at the time of writing, a run that fits the more compact setup Desabre has preferred.
Houston, Guadalajara and Atlanta
The first test comes on 17 June against Portugal in Houston at noon local time. Six days later, DR Congo plays Colombia in Guadalajara at 8pm local time. The group stage closes for the Leopards against Uzbekistan in Atlanta on 27 June at 7.30pm local time.
Those dates and venues leave little room for drift. One afternoon kick-off and two evening fixtures mean DR Congo will need to adapt quickly to different conditions while keeping the same structure that carried it through qualification.
Wissa, Bakambu and Mbemba
Yoane Wissa is one of the names carrying major expectations after missing the Africa Cup of Nations to regain sharpness following a knee injury. He also became the first player from DR Congo to score more than 10 Premier League goals in a season, which puts a sharper edge on what he can offer in front of goal.
Cédric Bakambu remains the striker reference point, while Axel Tuanzebe and Chancel Mbemba give Desabre ball-playing options at the back. Arthur Masuaku and Aaron Wan-Bissaka add wing-back width, the kind of profile that fits a team built to stay organized without giving up transitions. After qualification, Desabre called the country “a true football country” and said, “People love their national team and are proud of it.”
For DR Congo, the task is now concrete: carry the same structure into a group with Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan, and keep the margins from growing. The team has already shown it can survive pressure in qualification; in Houston, Guadalajara and Atlanta, that control will be tested against better opposition and a far less forgiving stage.
