the Democratic Republic of Congo are heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Jamaica in their intercontinental playoff final.
Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe was the hero of the night, scoring the only goal early in extra time to send the Congolese fans into raptures.
The match stayed goalless through a tense 90 minutes at Estadio Guadalajara in Mexico. But just five minutes into extra time, Tuanzebe rose to the occasion, bundling the ball home from a corner in the 100th minute.
There was a nervous wait of over a minute as officials checked for a possible handball, but the goal was eventually given — and it proved to be the winner.Tuanzebe, who now plays for Burnley in the Premier League, admitted the occasion got to both teams.“We made it very difficult for ourselves,” he said afterwards. “
But to score the winning goal for your country… that’s what every player dreams of. I’m so proud of what I could do for the DRC, and I’m so proud of this country. Now it’s time to celebrate.”DR Congo had been the better side throughout the fast-paced encounter, controlling much of the game even if clear chances were few and far between.
Their persistence finally paid off in extra time.This victory means Africa will have 10 teams at the 2026 World Cup — a record for the continent in the expanded 48-team tournament.It’s only the second time DR Congo have qualified for football’s biggest stage.
They last appeared back in 1974, when they competed as Zaire. Jamaica, meanwhile, are also making a rare return, having only featured once before — at the 1998 World Cup in France.DR Congo will now join Group __ with Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan.
They’ll face Portugal in their opening match.The final remaining spot at the 2026 World Cup will be decided later tonight when Iraq take on Bolivia in the other intercontinental playoff.