Thomas Tuchel’s first knockout assignment as England manager is a Round of 32 match against DR Congo at the Atlanta Stadium.
The Three Lions qualified as Group L winners, while DR Congo were the best of the eight top third-placed nations at World Cup 2026 – the only team in that bracket to finish with a positive goal difference.
So Wednesday’s task may not be simple for an England side which flattered to deceive at times in the group stage.
We have previewed the big game in full below, and we have also picked out some betting tips based on the latest World Cup odds.
Where can I watch England vs DR Congo in the UK?
England vs DR Congo will be broadcast live on BBC One, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm UK time.
England vs DR Congo Preview
Recent results
After a disappointing 0-0 draw with Ghana, England secured qualification as group winners with a 2-0 success over Panama, in which Harry Kane became the nation’s leading scorer at World Cups with his 11th goal. Three Lions’ first match at the tournament, the 4-2 win over Croatia, was their best performance thus far.
DR Congo opened their World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw vs Portugal, a result which really caught the attention of the footballing world. Les Leopards then lost 1-0 to Colombia in a closely-fought contest, before coming from 1-0 down to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 – their first-ever victory on sport’s biggest stage.
Head-to-head record
This is the first meeting between England and DR Congo in any competition.
Team news
Reece James is ruled out for England and Jarell Quansah is a major doubt, so Djed Spence is likely to play at right-back. Declan Rice should return to the XI after being afforded a welcome rest vs Panama, while Tuchel has a big decision to make with regard to Marcus Rashford or Anthony Gordon on the left-hand side of the attack.
DR Congo have no injury issues or suspensions to contend with, which is a huge boost for manager Sebastien Desabre ahead of a historic knockout match for the nation.
England vs DR Congo Odds
*All odds are subject to change
England are massive favourites to come away with the victory here, priced as low as 1.26. A win for DR Congo is at long odds of 11.00, while the draw after 90 minutes is 5.20.
England vs DR Congo Betting Tips
Both teams to score – Yes @ 2.53
Despite keeping two consecutive clean sheets, England have not looked convincing from a defensive standpoint at this tournament. So the BTTS market price looks very attractive indeed, with DR Congo netting four times in their group – including once vs Portugal courtesy of in-form Yoane Wissa. As such, Jordan Pickford may be forced to pick the ball out of his net.
Player to score or assist – Jude Bellingham @ 1.88
Bellingham has been England’s standout performer at World Cup 2026 with two goals and an assist from three appearances. The Real Madrid ace really drove the team to victory against Panama, so the Three Lions may require some of his superstar quality and big-game ability to get over the line in Atlanta.
Player to score or assist – Yoane Wissa @ 4.20
As we are backing the aforementioned BTTS selection, it feels only right to tip DR Congo’s biggest attacking threat. After a tough debut season at Newcastle, Wissa has stood tall on the World Cup stage with three goals, including a match-winning brace vs Uzbekistan. England’s makeshift defence may struggle to contain DR Congo’s talisman.
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