The Democratic Republic of Congo will end its 52-year World Cup absence on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, when it faces Portugal in their opening Group K match at the enclosed stadium in Houston.
DR Congo coach Sébastien Desabre stated that his squad is highly motivated and intends to take calculated risks to surprise the heavily favored European team.
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The African nation, which last competed in 1974 as Zaire, has faced severe logistical disruptions leading into the tournament, including an Ebola virus outbreak back home and severe storm-induced travel restrictions.
Desabre: No Fear, High Motivation
"What we have to do is to deal with the pressure, the pressure of the first game," said Desabre.
The head coach emphasized that his selection of European-based players possesses the necessary speed and competitive edge to disrupt Portugal's defensive game plan.
"There's no fear ahead of those big events," Desabre said.
Desabre also noted that playing with fewer traveling fans due to regional travel curbs serves as an extra catalyst for his squad to target the knockout rounds.
"We also have a great strength that we'll be using on the pitch and we're going to get started with our own specific style of play and we are of course highly motivated and we are excited to play against such a big team," he said.
The team aims to secure at least three to four points in a demanding group that additionally contains Colombia and tournament debutants Uzbekistan.
