DR Congo come to AFCON 2025 as one of the most in-form teams in Africa. Les Léopards are coming off a high after winning the African World Cup Qualifying playoffs in November to make it one step closer to the FIFA World Cup, beating Cameroon and Nigeria in the process.
DR Congo cruised at the start of AFCON 2025 qualifying, winning their first 4 matches without conceding a goal to secure top spot and automatic qualification for their 21st appearance at Afcon.
Head coach Sébastien Desabre has built a very strong squad, and his recruitment of dual-nationals has made this team as deep as any DR Congo team in recent memory. Desabre has done an especially good job at securing young talent, including the likes of Noah Sadiki and more recently Matthieu Epolo and Mario Stroeykens.
DR Congo’s last appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations was a successful one, reaching the semi-finals before falling to hosts and eventual winners Ivory Coast. DR Congo will surely feel they can make another deep run this year, and perhaps win the competition for the first time as DR Congo. They won the competition in 1974 when the country was then known as Zaire.
A tough group awaits DR Congo, where they will meet Senegal, a team they will be very familiar with as they went toe-to-toe with in World Cup qualifying just months ago.
Potential Starting XI
Coach
Sébastien Desabre
Born in France, Desabre has spent the majority of his coaching career on the African continent. DR Congo is the second national team job Desabre has had, having previously coached Uganda.
Players to Watch
Cédric Bakambu
Age: 34
Position: CF
Caps/Goals: 63/20
Club: Real Betis (Spain)
The veteran striker is still going strong at 34, and is an integral member of the DR Congo squad. Bakambu will want to improve on his previous AFCON performance, where despite featuring in all 7 of DR Congo’s matches, he failed to find the back of the net.
Chancel Mbemba
Age: 31
Position: CB
Caps/Goals: 102/7
Club: LOSC Lille (France)
Chancel Mbemba’s hero status in DR Congo has reached feverish heights after his heroics in the World Cup Qualifying playoffs. Mbemba a late winner against Cameroon, then the winning penalty in the final against Nigeria. The Les Léopards captain also recently passed the 100 appearance mark for his country.
DR Congo Schedule
December 23, 2025 vs. Benin – Rabat
December 27, 2025 vs. Senegal – Tangier
December 30, 2025 vs. Botswana – Rabat
Country Information
Did you know…
The national animal of DR Congo is the okapi, also known as the zebra giraffe. The okapi only exists in the northeast of DR Congo.
