England vs DR Congo - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

As unreserved hr hits successful England, commuters volition hastily caput location to ticker the Three Lions successful enactment against Congo DR, successful their World Cup 2026 last-32 lucifer astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Thomas Tuchel's men finished archetypal successful Group L - without wholly silencing each of the doubters - portion their African foes qualified arsenic the highest-ranked third-placed nation.

Match preview

Before the archetypal shot was kicked successful Panama vs. England, the Three Lions were harmless successful the cognition that adjacent a daze nonaccomplishment would not pb to a catastrophic elimination, acknowledgment to results elsewhere successful the radical signifier going their mode connected Friday evening.

Top spot inactive had to beryllium wrapped up connected the last matchday successful Group L, erstwhile Croatia and Ghana were some susceptible of usurping the Three Lions, and Tuchel's broadside produced different tepid archetypal fractional against the federation they pummelled 6-1 astatine Russia 2018.

However, the fistful of world-class talents successful the England squad came to the fore successful the 2nd period, erstwhile Harry Kane - becoming his nation's highest World Cup scorer of each clip - and Jude Bellingham struck quickfire goals to seal a mostly straightforward 2-0 victory.

Performances were acold from impeccable for the Three Lions successful Group L, but seldom person countries achieved perfection en way to World Cup glory; lone Uruguay 1930, Italy 1938, Brazil 1970 and Brazil 2002 person won the tourney with a 100% grounds successful mean oregon other time.

Furthermore, Tuchel is yet to oversee a competitory nonaccomplishment astatine the England helm, winning 10 and drafting 1 of his 11 non-friendly battles truthful far; lone Ron Greenwood (16 betwixt 1977 and 1980) and Roy Hodgson (14 betwixt 2012 and 2013) person enjoyed longer unbeaten competitory starts - punishment shootouts excluded.

England person not yet had to grounds their powers of betterment astatine the 2026 World Cup, but aft coming from down to rescue an opening gully against Portugal, DR Congo went 1 amended successful their important Uzbekistan contest.

Falling 1-0 down wrong 10 minutes to an Eldor Shomurodov strike, the Leopards turned connected the benignant successful the 2nd half, erstwhile prima antheral Yoane Wissa netted doubly either broadside of Fiston Mayele's effort to constitute a caller section of nationalist history.

Competing astatine their archetypal World Cup arsenic DR Congo, the Leopards volition play successful the knockout rounds for the archetypal clip ever, having crashed retired of the 1974 tourney successful the radical signifier - arsenic Zaire - with 3 losses to their name.

Sebastien Desabre's charges finished conscionable 1 constituent shy of Portugal arsenic they qualified with the champion grounds of immoderate third-placed squad - 4 points and a affirmative extremity quality - aft being fixed 3/4 likelihood to scope the knockout rounds successful our World Cup 2026 betting guide.

Should DR Congo stun England successful their maiden meeting, a last-16 clash with Mexico oregon Ecuador is adjacent connected the menu, earlier a imaginable quarter-final with nary different than grounds five-time winners Brazil.

England World Cup form:

England signifier (all competitions):

DR Congo World Cup form:

DR Congo signifier (all competitions):

Team News

England squad speech has been dominated by 1 country and 1 country lone - the right-back presumption - aft Jarell Quansah joined Reece James connected the attraction array with the ankle wounded helium picked up against Panama.

Tuchel is optimistic that the Bayer Leverkusen defender volition beryllium backmost up and moving successful a fewer days, but the aforesaid is improbable to beryllium existent for the injury-plagued James, truthful Djed Spence volition astir surely commencement retired wide connected Wednesday night.

Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford should person besides done capable to reprise their roles connected the flanks - fitness-permitting - portion Kane is present chasing different Lineker record; the Bayern Munich antheral has scored 3 WC knockout goals for England, fractional the full of the 65-year-old.

Meanwhile, DR Congo person reported nary carnal concerns earlier their archetypal World Cup knockout game, successful which Desabre could revert to the 5-3-2 signifier helium deployed against Portugal and Colombia aft switching to a 4-4-2 against Uzbekistan.

Number 9 Brian Cipenga is apt to marque mode for centre-back Steve Kapuadi if that is the case, portion astatine the different extremity of the pitch, Mayele has made his lawsuit to commencement implicit Cedric Bakambu aft his extremity connected matchday three.

However, Desabre should inactive thin connected the acquisition of 35-year-old Bakambu alongside Wissa, who has scored much goals astatine the World Cup (2) than helium did successful the full of the 2025-26 Premier League (1).

England imaginable starting lineup:

Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Guehi, O'Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane

DR Congo imaginable starting lineup:

Mpasi-Nzau; Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Kapuadi, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Kayembe; Wissa, Bakambu

We say: England 2-0 DR Congo

DR Congo person demonstrated tactical flexibility and antiaircraft ruggedness astatine the World Cup truthful far, lone shipping erstwhile to some Colombia and Portugal with their five-man antiaircraft wall.

A glut of England goals is surely disconnected the cards arsenic a result, but Kane and Bellingham request conscionable 1 infinitesimal to marque their world-class prime show, and the Three Lions person our backing to support the imagination alive.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.