DR Congo qualifies for World Cup after 52-year wait

DR Congo qualified for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday with a 1-0 extra-time win over Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff final in Guadalajara.apnews
Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe scored in the 100th minute from a corner, ending Congo’s 52-year absence from the tournament, according to Reuters.reuters
DR Congo joins Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan, bringing the record number of African nations at a World Cup to 10.beinsports

DR Congo Beat Jamaica 1-0 in Extra Time to Secure 2026 World Cup Spot

The Democratic Republic of Congo are heading to the World Cup for the first time in 52 years after Axel Tuanzebe’s extra-time goal sealed a 1-0 victory over Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff final on Tuesday in Guadalajara, Mexico.apnews

Tuanzebe, who plays for Burnley in the Premier League, bundled the ball over the line from a corner in the 100th minute to score his first international goal, though the strike required a lengthy review for a possible handball before being confirmed. The result sends the Leopards into Group K at this summer’s tournament alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan, and means a record 10 African nations will compete at the 2026 World Cup.yahoo

A Long Wait Ends

DR Congo last appeared at a World Cup in 1974, when the country was still known as Zaire. Their road back to the finals included playoff victories over Cameroon and Nigeria in African qualifying before they were seeded directly into Tuesday’s intercontinental final.newsweek

At Estadio Guadalajara, the Congolese dominated much of the match without creating clear-cut chances in hot and humid conditions. Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake, who captains the Reggae Boyz and plays for the Philadelphia Union, made sharp saves to deny Cedric Bakambu in the second half. Leon Bailey had Jamaica’s best chance in the 67th minute with a diving header that went wide.channelnewsasia

Heartbreak for Jamaica

DR Congo thought they had won it in the 85th minute when Bakambu stroked the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out for an offside in the buildup by Theo Bongonda. The pressure continued into extra time, and Jamaica were ultimately undone by the set piece that Tuanzebe converted.channelnewsasia

Jamaica, who had beaten New Caledonia 1-0 in their semifinal just five days earlier, were playing their second match in quick succession — a factor that may have contributed to their late fade. The defeat ends their hopes of returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1998.as

“The players are revelling in playing,” DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre had said in the buildup to the playoffs. On Tuesday, his squad gave the Congolese nation something to revel in for years to come.reuters