DR Congo Earn Automatic FIFA Play-Off Final Spot After CAF Triumph

DR Congo Earn Automatic FIFA Play-Off Final Spot After CAF Triumph

By Admin 

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has been awarded an automatic place in one of the two finals of the FIFA Play-Off Tournament after successfully navigating the CAF qualification play-offs and advancing from the inter-confederation bracket, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Leopards enjoyed a strong international window, recording two crucial victories to seal their place in the global play-off tournament. DR Congo qualified for the African play-offs after finishing second in Group B behind Senegal and ranking among the top four second-placed teams across the continent.

In the continental semi-final, played in Morocco, DR Congo edged Cameroon 1–0 thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time winner from Chancel Mbemba. They then met Nigeria in the play-off final, where a tense 1–1 draw after extra time led to penalties. DR Congo prevailed in the shootout, extending their World Cup qualifying journey.

Their victory means DR Congo will compete in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico co-host of the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and the United States. The mini-tournament features six teams: two from CONCACAF, and one each from CONMEBOL, AFC, CAF, and the OFC.

The tournament structure includes two brackets, each containing one seeded team based on the FIFA Men’s World Rankings. The seeded teams receive automatic placement in the finals of their respective brackets, while the remaining four nations compete in semi-finals for a spot in the deciders.

DR Congo has been placed directly into the final of the first bracket, where they will face one of Jamaica, Bolivia, Suriname, or New Caledonia, depending on the draw. Iraq has been allocated to the final of the second bracket.

The Leopards now stand just one victory away from their first World Cup appearance since 1974, when they competed as Zaire.