World Cup 2026: the official line-ups of England – DRC
England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo face off this Wednesday in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The Three Lions, favorites on paper, will need to be wary of a Congolese team that dreams of pulling off an upset.
SUMMARY
The first Round of 16 match this Wednesday pits England against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At kickoff, the Three Lions will be looking to confirm their status as title contenders against a Congolese team that is already on a historic run in this 2026 World Cup.
The DRC made it into the knockout stage after finishing third in Group K with four points. The Leopards started their tournament with a promising draw against Portugal (1-1), before narrowly losing to Colombia (1-0). They then secured their qualification with a convincing victory over Uzbekistan (3-1).
On the other side, England is relying on its key players to overcome this hurdle. Harry Kane will wear the captain’s armband and lead the attack, supported notably by Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford, and Noni Madueke.
For the Congolese side, the coach trusts an experienced eleven centered around captain Chancel Mbemba. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Arthur Masuaku, and Yoane Wissa are also among the starters, trying to challenge the English team.
The official lineups:
England: Pickford – Spence, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly – Anderson, Rice – Madueke, Bellingham, Rashford – Kane (cap.).
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mpasi – Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Mbemba (cap.), Masuaku – Sadiki, Moutoussamy – Mbuku, Mukau, Cipenga – Wissa.
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