England Faces DR Congo in the Round of 32 at the World Cup 2026

England’s journey in the 2026 World Cup continues as they face DR Congo in the round of 32 at the Atlanta Stadium. Thomas Tuchel’s side has navigated their final group game against Panama, finishing top of Group L, and their reward is a last-32 tie against DR Congo, who finished third in Group K thanks to a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan.

Source: s.yimg.com

England’s Performance in the Group Stage

England started the tournament with an emphatic performance in a 4-2 win over Croatia, but their subsequent performances against Ghana and Panama have failed to inspire. The Three Lions could use a statement performance in their first knockout game to regain momentum.

However, DR Congo will provide a stern test to the Three Lions. Sebastien Desabre’s side has impressed in the draw to Portugal and the win over Uzbekistan, showcasing their resilience and determination.

Key Players to Watch

For England, defender Reece James is the only confirmed absentee, with the Chelsea captain facing a fight to recover in time to feature again at the tournament. Jarell Quansah is the only injury doubt, with the Bayer Leverkusen defender forced to come off during the win over Panama on Saturday.

Defender Djed Spence could feature at right-back, while Ezri Konsa could move to right-back with John Stones coming in at centre-back. Declan Rice should return for the Three Lions, while Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford will hope to start after encouraging performances in the final group game.

For DR Congo, Sebastien Desabre will likely field familiar Premier League names including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, and Yoane Wissa.

England XI: Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.

DR Congo XI: Mpasi; Wan-Bissaka, Mbemba, Tuanzebe, Kapuadi, Masuaku; Mukau, Moutoussamy, Kayembe; Bakambu, Wissa.

Match Details

The match between England and DR Congo kicks off at 5pm BST (12pm ET) on Wednesday, 1 July at the Atlanta Stadium. Viewers in the UK can watch the match on BBC One, while it will also be streamed on BBC iPlayer.

The winner will face Mexico, who beat Ecuador 2-0. That match will take place on Monday, 6 July (Sunday, 5 July local time) in Mexico City.