England vs DR Congo | FIFA World Cup 2026 — Round of 32 | Preview and Prediction

World Cup contenders England face relatively easier opponents in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the form of the DR Congo on July 1 at Atlanta Stadium. 

For the game, here we present our preview and prediction.

FIFA WC26 | Ro32: ENG vs COD | 21:30 IST, July 1, 2026

The DR Congo qualified for the World Cup after five decades of waiting, near misses, and frustrations. Not much was expected of them, but they have surprised everyone by showing grit and character and proved that they aren’t here just to make up the numbers. Managing to qualify for the round of 32 is, therefore, a massive achievement for them.

The Léopards achieved an incredible result in the opening game, drawing 1–1 with Portugal. They narrowly lost to Colombia before defeating Uzbekistan 3–1 in the final game to ensure qualification. Yoane Wissa has been their standout player, but adding Aaron Wan-Bissaka to their squad has made a massive difference for them at the back. Captain Chancel Mbemba, Noah Sadiki, and goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi have also been key for the Congolese.

Their opponents, England, boast, as usual, an incredibly talented group of players who are carrying the pressure of being one of the prime contenders for the title. Led by Harry Kane, they started the competition well and put up a statement 4–2 win over Croatia. However, second-game syndrome hit as they ended up in a stalemate with Ghana. Needing at least a point in their final game to ensure knockout qualification, they comfortably beat Panama to book their round of 32 berth.

Jude Bellingham has yet again shone at the grandest stage for the Three Lions, with captain Kane an ever-important figure for them. Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka have also put in decent performances from the bench.

Reece James and Jarell Quansah have both suffered injuries, leaving England short at right-back, while the DR Congo have a fully fit squad at their disposal.

Thomas Tuchel is now being criticised for selection failures, knowing full well how unreliable Reece James has been due to his injury issues. With his replacement Quansah also injured, not bringing Trent Alexander-Arnold is now looking like an even bigger blunder. This game might not be such an issue, but England could really pay later on in the tournament for not having a proper right-back.

For the DR Congo, the only hope is to defend deep and try to surprise England on the counter. However, we still believe England have far too much quality all over the park and should win this one comfortably.

Score Prediction: England 2-0 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Venue: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA