The Democratic Republic of Congo has qualified for the 2026 World Cup by beating Jamaica 1-0 after extra time on Tuesday in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The team’s victory came from a corner kick by Axel Tuanzebe in the 100th minute, securing a historic second qualification for the country since the 1974 World Cup played by Zaire.
The Leopards will be part of Group K in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, along with Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.
This qualification marks the tenth African team to participate in this edition of the World Cup, with the DRC eliminating giants like Cameroon and Nigeria in the African playoffs.
The French coach, Sebastien Desabre, led his players patiently in a slow-paced match that they dominated. Despite an active performance by Cedric Bakambu, who had two goals disallowed for offside and a powerful shot saved by the opponent’s goalkeeper, Jamaica faced disappointment in missing out on a chance to qualify for their second World Cup since the 1998 edition in France.
Despite showing some threat through shots from Kasey Palmer and Leon Bailey, the Reggae Boyz ultimately fell short against the Democratic Republic of Congo in a lackluster match that remained undecided until Tuanzebe’s fortunate goal.
Towards the end of the match, there was a delay in the 115th minute due to the main referee’s injury to his left leg.
