England Seeks Victory But Must Be Wary of Surprise Package DR Congo

England faces DR Congo in a Round of 16 clash at the 2026 World Cup today, kicking off at 7:00 PM Bulgarian time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The winner of this encounter will advance to play against co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium.

The Three Lions enter the match as strong favorites but must remain wary of an opponent that has already tripped up a team like Portugal. England is in excellent form, boasting four wins and one draw in their last five outings, having also topped their group which included Ghana, Croatia, and Panama. Manager Thomas Tuchel's main concerns lie in defense, specifically at right-back. Due to injuries to Jarell Quansah and Reece James, it is highly probable that Djed Spence will start on the right flank of the defense.

DR Congo has already made history by securing their first-ever World Cup victory, a 3-1 triumph over Uzbekistan. This result was enough for them to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, earning a spot in the knockout stages. The African side emerged from a challenging group that featured Portugal, Colombia, and the Uzbeks.

These two nations have never met before. However, this will mark the third occasion England has faced an African opponent in the World Cup knockout rounds, having won both previous encounters against Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2022.