DR Congo coach, Sebastien Desabre has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to rise above adversity as the Leopards prepare to launch their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Portugal at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas tonight.
The highly anticipated Group Stage encounter marks DR Congo’s first appearance at football’s biggest tournament since 1974, when the nation competed under the name Zaire. For the current generation of players, the match represents the culmination of years of hard work and determination.
However, the road to the World Cup has been far from smooth for the Central African nation. Preparations were significantly disrupted by an Ebola outbreak back home, forcing the squad to undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine before being allowed to travel to the United States.
The situation also compelled the team to relocate its training camp from Kinshasa to Belgium at the end of May, creating additional challenges ahead of the tournament.
Despite the setbacks, Desabre believes his players have shown remarkable resilience.
“We adapted to the situation. We had to focus as we have had to adapt often. That is what we did,” said Desabre ahead of the clash. We worked well, we played two tough friendlies and here we are. Now it is another step for us,” he said.
The Leopards drew 0-0 with Denmark in a warm-up match on June 3 before suffering a narrow 2-1 defeat to Chile six days later. While the results were mixed, the fixtures provided valuable preparation against quality opposition.
DR Congo secured their place at the World Cup through the play-offs, edging Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in a tense encounter on March 31.
Standing in their way tonight is a Portuguese side packed with experience and confidence. Portugal topped their qualifying group despite suffering a single defeat to the Republic of Ireland and have remained unbeaten throughout 2026.
The Europeans drew 0-0 with Mexico before defeating the United States 2-0 and later completed their preparations with successive 2-1 victories over Chile and Nigeria.
Portugal will be aiming to improve on their best-ever World Cup finish, a fourth-place result achieved in 2006.
Much of their attacking threat is expected to come from midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who enjoyed an outstanding club season, registering a record 21 assists and nine goals.
For DR Congo, striker Yoane Wissa could prove decisive. The forward played a key role during qualification and will be eager to make an impact after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for much of late 2025.
As the Leopards prepare to step onto the global stage once again, Desabre and his players will be hoping their resilience and determination can inspire a memorable start to their long-awaited World Cup return.
