The Democratic Republic of Congo have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 52 years after beating Jamaica 1-0 in extra time in the play-offs to become the tenth African team that will be at the tournament.
DR Congo dominated Jamaica in the high-stakes World Cup qualifier in Mexico but were repeatedly denied by offside calls and goalkeeper Andre Blake, keeping the match goalless in normal time.
Despite Jamaica’s resilience, DR Congo finally broke through in extra time when Axel Tuanzebe scored from a corner, sealing a hard-fought victory and qualification for the World Cup.
They will now be placed into Group K along with Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Colombia, while the hopes of a second WC final linger on for the Reggae Boyz as they fall short once again.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup line-up is now complete, with the final six teams securing spots in the expanded 48-team tournament to be held in North America.
Iraq claimed the last place after defeating Bolivia in Mexico, joining France, Senegal, and Norway in their group. In Europe, Czechia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Türkiye, and Sweden also qualified through play-offs.
The tournament, running from June 11 to July 19, 2026, will include 48 teams, 104 matches, and is expected to attract over six million fans across host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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