England begin their World Cup knockout campaign at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday evening knowing that the Three Lions have yet to hit the heights expected of a genuine title contender.
Thomas Tuchel’s side top Group L, but the manner of their progress has left serious questions unanswered. Now, with DR Congo waiting and no more safety nets, the real tournament starts.
Our England vs DR Congo prediction is a 2-0 win for the England side, with Kane and Bellingham’s individual quality ultimately proving the difference against a DR Congo side that will make this considerably more difficult than the scoreline suggests.
England finished top of Group L with seven points, beating Croatia 4-2 in their opener before a frustrating goalless draw with Ghana and a laboured 2-0 win over Panama in which they produced little of note for over an hour before Bellingham and Kane settled matters in the second half.
Tuchel is yet to suffer a competitive defeat as England manager, earning ten wins and one draw in 11 non-friendly matches, but the performances have not always matched the results.
DR Congo arrive as the highest-ranked third-placed team at the tournament, on the back of a historic first World Cup knockout appearance.
Sébastien Desabre’s side opened with a 1-1 draw against Portugal, lost 1-0 to Colombia, then produced a stunning comeback win over Uzbekistan, falling behind early before scoring three in the second half to seal their place in the last 32.
This team has already surpassed everything the nation has ever achieved at a World Cup. They will not be arriving in Atlanta simply to take part.
| Competition | FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 32 |
| Date & Time | Wed, 1 Jul 2026 · 17:00 WAT |
| Venue | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| Key Battle | Declan Rice vs Yoane Wissa |
ENGLAND TEAM NEWS, INJURIES AND PREDICTED LINEUP
The big team news story heading into this match is England’s injury crisis at right-back. Reece James missed the Panama game with a hamstring issue, and his replacement, Jarell Quansah, went off against Panama with an ankle injury.
Tuchel has confirmed he is optimistic about Quansah’s recovery timeline, but the same cannot be said for James, whose injury history has plagued his involvement at major tournaments.
Djed Spence is expected to start at right-back against DR Congo and will need to handle the physical test of marking DR Congo’s wide attackers for ninety minutes.
Declan Rice missed the Panama win to manage a calf issue but is expected to return to the starting XI in Atlanta.
His absence against Panama was felt, as England lacked structure and control in the first hour, and his return will be a significant boost for Tuchel.
Rice anchors everything England do defensively and provides the platform from which Bellingham can operate with freedom ahead of him.
Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford are expected to continue on the flanks, with Harry Kane leading the line.
Kane became England’s highest World Cup scorer of all time with his goal against Panama and is approaching Gary Lineker’s record of six World Cup knockout goals for England; he now has three.
Behind him, Bellingham’s partnership with Kane has been the most reliable source of quality for the Three Lions when the game has needed a moment of individual brilliance.
The central defensive partnership of Ezri Konsa and Marc Guéhi has been solid throughout the group stage, and Jordan Pickford continues in goal.
England predicted lineup (4-3-3):
Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Guéhi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
DR CONGO TEAM NEWS, INJURIES AND PREDICTED LINEUP
Sébastien Desabre has reported no injury or suspension concerns ahead of Wednesday’s match.
The key tactical decision for the DR Congo coach will be formation: against Uzbekistan he used a 4-4-2, and it worked, but against the more technically sophisticated sides in Group K; Portugal and Colombia, he deployed a five-man defensive block that conceded only twice across those two matches.
Most sources indicate he will revert to the 5-3-2 system against England.
If that is the case, Steve Kapuadi is expected to come into the backline as the fifth centre-back, with Brian Cipenga making way.
Captain Chancel Mbemba leads that defence with over 100 caps to his name, a commanding, experienced presence who will organise and marshal the Congolese backline.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Arthur Masuaku provide width as wing-backs, with their Premier League experience giving them an edge in reading England’s attacking patterns.
In midfield, Samuel Moutoussamy and Noah Sadiki provide the engine, with Ngal’ayel Mukau adding athletic, progressive ball-carrying qualities from central positions.
Desabre’s system is built on defensive solidity and quick transitions, and he has secured 29 clean sheets in 57 matches as their manager, a record that speaks for itself.
Up front, Yoane Wissa is the danger man. The Newcastle United forward has scored three of DR Congo’s four group stage goals and is playing some of the best football of his international career.
Alongside the experienced Cédric Bakambu, who brings physical presence and an eye for goal, DR Congo have a front two capable of exploiting any lapse in England’s defensive concentration on the counter-attack.
Fiston Mayele, who scored against Uzbekistan, provides an alternative option if Desabre needs to shift things.
DR Congo predicted lineup (5-3-2):
Mpasi-Nzau; Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Kapuadi, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Kayembe; Wissa, Bakambu.
ENGLAND VS DR CONGO HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
England and DR Congo have never met in a competitive fixture. Wednesday’s Round of 32 clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is the first ever meeting between the two nations at a World Cup and, by all confirmed records, the first senior competitive encounter of any kind.
DR Congo’s only previous World Cup appearance came in 1974, when the country was known as Zaire.
They lost all three of their group stage matches without scoring a goal, conceding 14 in the process, including nine in a single game against Yugoslavia.
This World Cup has been a complete reinvention of what DR Congo football can achieve on the global stage.
KEY PLAYER TO WATCH: YOANE WISSA
Yoane Wissa is the key player to watch because his ability to exploit the transition, the moment England lose the ball and their defensive line is disorganised, is the single most dangerous weapon DR Congo possesses against this particular England side.
The Newcastle United forward has three World Cup goals already and is in exceptional form.
England’s defensive structure is solid when organised, but in the Panama match they were passive and slow to react when they ceded possession, and the stretches of the game where they were unable to impose their pattern exposed exactly the kind of spaces Wissa thrives in.
If DR Congo can absorb England’s pressure for the first hour and find Wissa in a two-vs-two situation on the counter, the upset is entirely possible.
WHY ENGLAND CAN WIN
England’s quality in individual moments remains their strongest argument.
When Kane and Bellingham are both firing, as they were in the second half against Panama, there are very few defences at this tournament that can contain them.
DR Congo’s organised defensive block will be resilient, but it is not impenetrable, and England have the set-piece quality from corners and free-kicks to find a way through even the deepest defensive structure.
The return of Declan Rice to the starting lineup gives England control and discipline they lacked without him.
With Rice anchoring the midfield and Bellingham given license to arrive late into positions, England should generate enough half-chances to find the breakthrough, and one goal is often all it takes against a DR Congo side that will be primarily focused on not conceding.
WHY DR CONGO CAN WIN
DR Congo’s case for causing one of the tournament’s biggest upsets rests on two things: defensive organisation and attacking pace on the counter.
Desabre has built one of the most disciplined defensive structures of any team at this World Cup.
Their five-man backline against Portugal held one of the tournament’s strongest attacks to a draw, and against Colombia they were unfortunate to lose by a single goal.
If DR Congo can keep England goalless for the first hour and stay patient without the ball, the crowd noise in a 71,000-seat stadium can shift.
England are susceptible to pressure when they are not scoring; the Ghana draw and the first half against Panama both showed a side that can stagnate when goals do not come early.
Wissa and Bakambu on the break, with a one-goal lead to protect, is a scenario DR Congo have already proven they can manage.
TACTICAL ANALYSIS: WHERE THE MATCH COULD BE WON
The pivotal battleground in this match will be England’s ability to break down DR Congo’s five-man defensive block without leaving themselves exposed to the counter-attack.
Tuchel is expected to use England’s width; Saka on the right, Rashford on the left, to stretch DR Congo’s defensive line and create the half-spaces through which Bellingham can drive.
The delivery into Kane from wide areas will be important, as will the movement of the second striker, whether it is Bellingham arriving from deep or a winger cutting inside.
DR Congo will sit deep, protect the central areas and look to release Wissa and Bakambu on quick transitions when England commit men forward.
Moutoussamy and Sadiki will press high and hard to win the ball early and trigger those transitions before England’s defensive line can recover.
The key for England will be patience and width. Spence at right-back needs to provide an overlapping outlet without exposing the flank to Wissa’s runs in behind.
If England can keep shape while still committing enough bodies forward to create overloads, they have the quality to score twice before DR Congo can find a way into the match.
ENGLAND VS DR CONGO BETTING TIPS
Based on both teams’ strengths, tactical setups and the knockout context, the recommended picks for England vs DR Congo are:
– England to win
– England to keep a clean sheet
– Under 2.5 goals
DR Congo’s defensive record makes this a low-scoring match, and England have the quality to win without conceding even if the performance level remains below their best.
The clean sheet market carries appeal given Desabre’s team prioritise defensive organisation over attacking volume.
SCORE PREDICTION
DR Congo will make this uncomfortable for England. Their defensive block, the experience of Mbemba and Wan-Bissaka at the back, and the counter-attacking threat of Wissa means Tuchel’s side will need to be patient, disciplined and clinical in the moments that matter.
But England have the two most important ingredients in knockout football: a world-class centre-forward in Kane and a generational midfielder in Bellingham, and both will be motivated to show their best form on the stage they have both been building towards.
A second-half England goal should be enough to settle a tense, difficult match, with a second goal arriving late as DR Congo push forward in search of an equaliser.
Prediction: England 2-0 DR Congo
FAQs
Who will win England vs DR Congo?
MatchPreview predicts England to win 2-0, with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham expected to provide the moments of quality needed to break down a disciplined DR Congo defensive structure.
Where is England vs DR Congo being played?
The match is being played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the major knockout venues of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What time is England vs DR Congo?
The match kicks off on Wednesday July 1 at 17:00 WAT (12:00 ET / 16:00 GMT).
How did England qualify for the Round of 32?
England topped Group L with seven points, beating Croatia 4-2 and Panama 2-0 and drawing 0-0 with Ghana.
How did DR Congo qualify for the Round of 32?
DR Congo advanced as the highest-ranked third-placed team at the tournament. They drew 1-1 with Portugal, lost 1-0 to Colombia and beat Uzbekistan 3-1 in a must-win final group game, finishing Group K in third place with four points.
Is Reece James playing against DR Congo?
No. James has missed England’s last two matches with a hamstring issue and is not expected to return in time for the Round of 32. Djed Spence is expected to start at right-back.
Is Declan Rice playing against DR Congo?
Yes. Rice missed the Panama match to manage a calf problem but is expected to return to the starting lineup for Wednesday’s match in Atlanta.
Is Jarell Quansah playing against DR Congo?
Quansah went off with an ankle injury during the Panama match. Tuchel has expressed optimism about his recovery, but Djed Spence is expected to take the right-back position regardless.
Have England and DR Congo met before?
No. Wednesday’s Round of 32 clash is the first ever senior competitive meeting between England and DR Congo.
Who does the winner of England vs DR Congo play next?
The winner advances to the Round of 16 to face either Mexico or Ecuador, depending on the outcome of that match being played in Mexico City.
