No previous meetings between these teams.
-
1
Harry Kane3 - 2
Yoane Wissa3 - 3Jude Bellingham2
- 4Marcus Rashford1
- 5Fiston Mayele1
- 1Harry Kane13
- 2Yoane Wissa9
- 3Marcus Rashford6
- 4Jude Bellingham6
- 5Elliot Anderson6
- 6Fiston Mayele5
- 7Bukayo Saka5
- 8Nico O'Reilly5
- 9Declan Rice4
- 10Noni Madueke4
- 1Jude Bellingham7
- 2Samuel Moutoussamy6
- 3Elliot Anderson6
- 4Aaron Wan-Bissaka5
- 5Joris Kayembe4
- 6Morgan Rogers3
- 7Arthur Masuaku3
- 8Djed Spence3
- 9Nico O'Reilly3
- 10Nathanaël Mbuku2
- 1Bukayo Saka2
- 2Arthur Masuaku1
- 3Meschack Elia1
- 4Declan Rice1
- 5Jude Bellingham1
- 6Elliot Anderson1
- 1Declan Rice10
- 2Noni Madueke6
- 3Jude Bellingham6
- 4Arthur Masuaku5
- 5Nico O'Reilly4
- 6Morgan Rogers3
- 7Meschack Elia3
- 8Noah Sadiki3
- 9Aaron Wan-Bissaka3
- 10Nathanaël Mbuku2
- 1Ezri Konsa254
- 2Marc Guéhi209
- 3Elliot Anderson176
- 4Reece James97
- 5Chancel Mbemba95
- 6Nico O'Reilly93
- 7Arthur Masuaku89
- 8Samuel Moutoussamy87
- 9Jordan Pickford87
- 10Axel Tuanzebe86
- 1Brian Cipenga6
- 2Nico O'Reilly4
- 3Jude Bellingham4
- 4Declan Rice3
- 5Bukayo Saka3
- 6Morgan Rogers2
- 7Nathanaël Mbuku2
- 8Marcus Rashford2
- 9Anthony Gordon2
- 10Cédric Bakambu2
- 1Aaron Wan-Bissaka6
- 2Elliot Anderson6
- 3Joris Kayembe3
- 4Ngal'ayel Mukau3
- 5Marc Guéhi2
- 6Reece James2
- 7Meschack Elia1
- 8Ezri Konsa1
- 9Chancel Mbemba1
- 10Théo Bongonda1
England continue their World Cup quest on Wednesday evening as they take on the DR Congo in Atlanta. The game is scheduled to kick-off at 5:00pm (UK Time), as Thomas Tuchel’s side look to book their place in the last 16. Find our England vs DR Congo predictions below.
The Three Lions did enough to win Group L, although questions remain over their performances. Their African opponents kept their World Cup hopes alive by edging into the knockout stages as one of the highest-ranked third-placed sides.
England vs DR Congo predictions
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| England to Win & Under 3.5 goals | 5/6 @ 10Bett (54.5%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | England have yet to hit top gear at World Cup 2026, but they remain unbeaten and deservedly won Group L. With Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka leading the attack, Thomas Tuchel’s side should have enough quality to book their place in the last 16. DR Congo are unlikely to make life easy and have shown plenty of defensive resilience throughout the tournament. However, if England maintain their usual control of possession and create enough chances, they should eventually find the breakthrough and progress to the next round. |
| Harry Kane to score a header | 6/1 @ Betway (14.3%) | ⭐⭐ | Harry Kane continues to lead England’s attack with authority and arrives in the knockout stages in outstanding form. The Bayern Munich striker has scored three goals in as many World Cup appearances, including a well-taken header against Panama, while he is averaging two shots on target per game. Rather than taking the short odds on Kane to score anytime, the 6/1 price for him to score with a header stands out as the stronger value given England’s aerial threat from wide areas and set pieces. |
Odds correct at time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
How both teams go into England vs DR Congo
England secured top spot in Group L with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Panama, although Thomas Tuchel’s side once again took time to find their rhythm. The Three Lions controlled the match but had to wait until the second half before turning their dominance into goals.
Harry Kane broke the deadlock to become England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer before Jude Bellingham quickly doubled the advantage. The win maintained England’s unbeaten record and sent them into the knockout stages with growing confidence, even if there is still room for improvement.
DR Congo produced one of the comebacks of the group stage to book their place in the knockout rounds. After falling behind early against Uzbekistan, the Leopards responded with three second-half goals, as Yoane Wissa scored twice and Fiston Mayele also found the net in a memorable 3-1 victory.
That result secured a landmark achievement for DR Congo, who have reached the World Cup knockout stages for the first time under their current name. They exited at the group stage in their only previous appearance, when they competed as Zaire in 1974, making this their most successful World Cup campaign to date.
England team news
Thomas Tuchel must reshuffle his defence after Reece James suffered a hamstring injury against Ghana. Djed Spence is expected to come into the starting XI at right-back after Jarell Quansah, who replaced James against Panama, also picked up an injury.
Declan Rice should return to midfield after sitting out the Panama match as part of the management of his calf issue, with Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham expected to join him. Out wide, Tuchel faces a selection decision after Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford impressed against Panama, while Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon also remain in contention.
DR Congo team news
DR Congo have no fresh injury concerns ahead of their first World Cup knockout match, giving Sébastien Desabre plenty of flexibility with his team selection. The Leopards could return to the back-five system they used earlier in the tournament after switching to a 4-4-2 against Uzbekistan.
A change in shape would likely see Steve Kapuadi come into the defence, while Brian Cipenga drops out. Further forward, Fiston Mayele strengthened his case for a starting role with his goal last time out, but Desabre is expected to stick with the experienced Cedric Bakambu alongside Yoane Wissa, who has already scored twice at this World Cup.
Head-to-head
England and DR Congo have never faced each other in international football.
Can England make it to the last 16?
DR Congo have shown throughout the tournament that they are difficult to break down, so England may have to stay patient before finding a way through. However, the Three Lions have enough attacking quality to edge this contest and continue their World Cup campaign. The standout selection is England to win and under 3.5 goals at 5/6, while those looking for a bigger price should consider Harry Kane to score a header at 6/1 with Betway. England captain Kane has already shown his aerial threat at this tournament and could make the difference again.
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