2026 World Cup: feeling of pride in Kinshasa despite the elimination of the Léopards

The adventure of the DRC at the 2026 World Cup came to an end in the round of 16. The Leopards were eliminated by England after a (2-1) defeat conceded in the last quarter of an hour of the match. In Kinshasa, nobody wanted to miss this match, which was watched in several fan zones and popular spots in the capital. And the performance of the Congolese against the 1966 world champions did not leave their fans unmoved, like Raphaël whom we met in the Gombe district.

“A feeling of disappointment for the defeat, yes, but overall I actually feel proud of our players’ performance against the great England team. They were just missing a few little details to beat this team. We will come back stronger ,” he said.
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‎Ruphin, another Leopards fan, thinks that experience made the difference on the English side. “It's just experience, nothing else. That’s what we lacked. England has players who are used to playing this type of match and competition. The Congolese were playing their first knockout match at the World Cup, so it’s normal what happened, especially when you are up against a striker like Kane. I am proud of the Leopards ,” he confided.

An honorable run

This is the best World Cup the DRC has ever had in its history. After a first appearance in 1974 marked by 3 defeats, conceding 14 goals and scoring none, the Leopards returned, 52 years later, with a very honorable campaign, crowned by their first qualification for the second round of the tournament. Five goals scored and as many conceded, a first victory against Uzbekistan (3-1) and above all a draw against Portugal. This run gives hope to Congolese supporters, like Rodrigue, who was interviewed by Sports News Africa.

“The coach Sébastien Desabre has done a great job, he has built a strong team that is going to do damage in upcoming competitions. We were known for being a very good defensive team, and now you can see that the attacking side has also started scoring again. I think that players like Cipenga and Mbuku represent the future of this attack. Now we need to become regulars at the World Cup and already start thinking about winning another AFCON in the coming years ,” he stated.
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‎After being eliminated from the World Cup, the Leopards are going on vacation, then will return to their clubs before coming back for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.