DR Congo booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought 1–0 extra-time win over Jamaica in their intercontinental play-off final at the Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico.
Axel Tuanzebe emerged as the hero, scoring the decisive goal deep into extra time to hand the Leopards a historic return to football’s biggest stage, 52 years after their only previous appearance in 1974.
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The result also officially ends Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the expanded 2026 World Cup via the play-off route.
DR Congo’s qualification makes them the 10th African nation at the tournament, following a resilient campaign that saw them edge past Jamaica in a tightly contested clash.
Nigeria’s elimination had effectively been set in motion earlier, after the Super Eagles lost the CAF play-off final to DR Congo on penalties in November 2025, allowing the Central African side to progress to the intercontinental stage.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) subsequently lodged a petition with FIFA, questioning the eligibility of certain DR Congo players, but the complaint did not alter the outcome.
DR Congo will now compete in Group K at the World Cup in North America, where they are set to face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan.
Their qualification marks a significant milestone, with their only previous appearance coming in 1974, when they competed as Zaire and faced Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil.
For Nigeria, the result closes the chapter on their 2026 World Cup ambitions, as attention now shifts to rebuilding ahead of future continental and global competitions.
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