DR Congo will be aiming to book a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they face Jamaica in the Intercontinental Playoff at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico.
The Congolese side secured their spot in this decisive clash after finishing second in Group B of the African qualifiers and overcoming both Cameroon and Nigeria in the previous stage.
Under the guidance of head coach Sébastien Desabre, DR Congo head into the fixture with renewed belief and a squad packed with experience and quality.
The team will rely heavily on forward Cédric Bakambu, who features for Real Betis, and Yoane Wissa of Newcastle United.
Other key players expected to play a crucial role include Noah Sadiki, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe and Arthur Masuaku.
DR Congo are chasing a return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they competed as Zaire at the tournament in Germany, suffering defeats to Yugoslavia, Brazil and Scotland.
Desabre expressed confidence ahead of the encounter, saying the team remains focused on achieving a long-term objective. “We’re really fired up. We’re still on course to meet our main objective. That’s the goal we set ourselves when I took this job three-and-a-half years ago. This final will be our 13th match since our qualifying campaign began,” he said.
Nine African nations have already secured qualification for the 2026 tournament — Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Ghana and Cape Verde.
Jamaica, known as the Reggae Boyz, are also seeking a return to football’s biggest stage, having last appeared at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Historically, Jamaica have struggled against African opposition, registering two wins, 11 draws and nine losses in 22 matches.
Their most recent meeting with African opposition came in May 2025, when they played out a 2-2 draw with Nigeria in a friendly tournament in England before losing 5-4 on penalties.
The Caribbean side will depend largely on England-based players such as Ethan Pinnock, Isaac Hayden, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Leon Bailey, Tylae Campbell and Andre Brooks.
The winner of the playoff will secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted across Mexico, Canada and the United States, and will join Group K alongside Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.
