A spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 will be on the line when England and DR Congo clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday.
We are reaching the midway point of the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 this midweek, and Wednesday will feature three games. The action on the day will start with England vs DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
England did not make it easy for themselves to progress to the knockout phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Thomas Tuchel’s charges finished atop Group L after an unbeaten campaign, Ghana and Panama to an extent provided the blueprint to keep them at bay for long stretches. Without some critical tactical tweaks, this may become another case of “what could have been” for the Three Lions.
On the other hand, DR Congo took the scenic route to the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32. The Leopards have qualified as one of the eight best third-placed teams after securing four points in Group K, including the impressive 1-1 draw with Portugal on Matchday 1. A come-from-behind 3-1 win over Uzbekistan sealed the deal, with Sebastien Desabre’s men making history with the nation’s first-ever appearance in the knockout phase of a World Cup.
Wednesday’s match will be the first-ever tie featuring England and DR Congo in any setting, and The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the maiden meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
England
Thomas Tuchel has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. England’s head coach will be bereft of the services of two players vs DR Congo on Wednesday.
Jarell Quansah is the latest absentee after sustaining an ankle injury against Panama last week. The Bayer Leverkusen defender is reportedly likely to miss out against DR Congo. Meanwhile, Reece James remains unavailable due to a hamstring complaint.
Jordan Pickford is an automatic pick between the sticks, with England lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs DR Congo on Wednesday. The backline will feature Djed Spence, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, and Nico O’Reilly.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson in the double pivot, with Tuchel managing the former’s fitness. Jude Bellingham will reprise the no. 10 role, with Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford being the two wide attackers. Finally, Harry Kane will lead the line for England against DR Congo.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane
DR Congo
Unlike his counterpart in the English dugout, Sebastien Desabre has no fitness issues to worry about ahead of the trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. DR Congo’s head coach has a clean bill of health for Wednesday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 clash.
Lionel Mpasi-Nzau is an automatic pick between the sticks, with DR Congo lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him vs England on Wednesday. The objective will be to keep men behind the ball to frustrate the Three Lions for long stretches before exploring counter-attacking opportunities on the turnover.
The central defensive unit will feature Axel Tuanzebe, Steve Kapuadi, and captain Chancel Mbemba. The trio will aim to remain compact, and they will receive support from the wing-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Arthur Masuaku during the defensive phases.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Samuel Moutoussamy, Noah Sadiki, and Edo Kayembe, with the trifect aiming to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, Yoane Wissa and Cedric Bakambu will be the two strikers for the Leopards.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Mpasi-Nzau; Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Kapuadi; Wan-Bissaka, Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Kayembe, Masuaku; Wissa, Bakambu
Key Stats
- England and DR Congo will meet for the very first time on Wednesday.
- England have lost only one of their last 13 matches across all competitions (W10 D2), keeping a clean sheet in nine of those outings.
- DR Congo have won only three of their eight matches across all competitions in 2026 (D2 L3).
- Despite not embarking on long winning runs in recent times, DR Congo have been solid at the back under Sebastien Desabre, keeping 29 clean sheets in 57 games since the French tactician took charge.
- England have scored over 1.5 goals in seven of their last eight matches in a competitive setting.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
While Jude Bellingham, Yoane Wissa, and Noah Sadiki were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Harry Kane as the Player to Watch in Wednesday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 clash between England and DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Kane has been the leading light for England at yet another World Cup, scoring three goals thus far to put himself in Golden Boot contention. The veteran striker has produced over 2.5 shots in his last four appearances in a competitive setting. For the Three Lions to go deep in the tournament, they will need the 32-year-old on top of his game, starting with the tie with DR Congo.
Prediction
England 2-1 DR Congo
DR Congo may not have a big track record against top-20 opponents in world football, having only faced continental rivals ranked that high apart from the clash with Portugal in the group stage. However, that 1-1 draw against Roberto Martinez’s men will fill the Leopards in with confidence that they can push England throughout the proceedings.
Sebastien Desabre’s men will take the game to England, following the blueprint provided by Ghana and Panama while threatening the Three Lions in the final third. However, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford will make the difference for England, with Harry Kane scoring again to remain in contention to win the Golden Boot. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Thomas Tuchel and his charges.