After 52 Years: Democratic Congo Returns to the World Cup with Ambitions to Erase Memories of 1974

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing to reappear on the World Cup stage after a 52-year absence, aiming to present a completely different image from its only previous participation in the tournament, when it competed in the 1974 World Cup in West Germany under the name Zaire.

A report published by Reuters indicated that the Congolese national team was the first team from sub-Saharan Africa to participate in the World Cup, but it exited that edition after losing all three of its matches, including a heavy defeat against Yugoslavia with a score of 9-0, despite entering the tournament at the time as the champion of Africa.

Over the past decades, the national team has been affected by the political and economic turmoil experienced by the country, which was reflected in its results and kept it from capitalizing on its significant potential. However, in recent years, the Congolese federation has succeeded in building a stronger team by relying on a large number of players of Congolese descent born in Europe.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo qualified for the 2026 World Cup after a challenging journey, surpassing Cameroon and Nigeria in the African playoff for the best runners-up, before securing the final ticket through the intercontinental playoff by defeating Jamaica.

A Reuters report quoted French coach Sébastien Desabre, who stated that the tough experiences the team went through during the qualification journey made them stronger and more resilient. He noted that the players and the coaching staff deserved to reach the World Cup after their continuous work.