Sports · World Cup 2026 · Round of 32
Englandvs
Congo DR
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 · 12:00 p.m. ET · Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Atlanta, GA
Watch: FOX · Telemundo
My pick: England advance · locked 2026-06-30 04:35 UTCPrediction
England to win and reach the last 16. Thomas Tuchel's side topped Group L and remain unbeaten across his competitive reign, with Harry Kane — now England's all-time leading World Cup scorer — and Jude Bellingham in form. DR Congo reached the knockouts for the first time as the best of the third-placed sides and will likely sit deep in a back five, springing Yoane Wissa and Cédric Bakambu on the break. The Leopards are organised and have nothing to lose, but England's quality and depth should be decisive. 2-0 England.
The case for England
78% to winEngland have much the stronger squad and a manager yet to lose a competitive match in charge. With Declan Rice screening the midfield and Bukayo Saka, Bellingham and Marcus Rashford supplying Kane, they carry threats DR Congo's back five will struggle to track over 90 minutes — and Tuchel's side have the experience to manage a knockout tie without panic.
The case for Congo DR
8% to winDR Congo are well-drilled under Sébastien Desabre, defend in numbers and carry a genuine counter-punch in Wissa and Bakambu. If they frustrate England, stay compact and nick a set-piece, the kind of low-event knockout that turns on one moment is exactly where an underdog can drag a favourite to extra time.
Both cases written 2026-06-30, before kickoff — they freeze into the record exactly as written, however the match goes. The percentages are mine, quoted to a decimal because false precision is funnier — the unclaimed 14% belongs to the draw.
England 4-2-3-15-3-2 Congo DRThe briefing
Storylines
- England, Group L winners, meet a DR Congo side reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time — the nations' first-ever meeting.
- Harry Kane became England's all-time leading World Cup scorer in the group stage; Tuchel remains unbeaten in competitive games as England boss.
- DR Congo squeezed through as the best of the third-placed teams, beating Uzbekistan 3-2 with a Wissa double on the final matchday.
- Played under the roof at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium — a climate-controlled environment.
The coaches
Thomas Tuchel England
The German took charge in 2025 and is unbeaten in competitive matches; sets England up to control games and attack through Saka, Bellingham and Kane.
Sébastien Desabre Congo DR
The Frenchman has DR Congo organised and tactically flexible, switching between a back five and a 4-4-2 and lethal on the counter through Wissa and Bakambu.
Availability
| Reece James | Out — injury-plagued and unlikely to be fit | Sports Mole preview (Ben Knapton) · 2026-06-29 |
| Jarell Quansah | Doubt — ankle knock against Panama; likely to miss out, with Djed Spence set to start at right-back | Sports Mole preview (Ben Knapton) · 2026-06-29 |
| Squad | Available — no fresh injury concerns reported; selection is tactical ahead of a first-ever knockout tie | Sports Mole preview (Ben Knapton) · 2026-06-29 |
Availability drifts hourly in tournament week — every row carries its source and date for exactly that reason.
Watch: FOX in English (free over the air, or stream on Fox One) and Telemundo in Spanish (stream on Peacock); the free Tubi simulcast carries Telemundo's Spanish feed. (The Big Lead / Yahoo Sports World Cup TV schedules, as of 2026-06-30)
Weather: Roof at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium — a climate-controlled environment, no forecast needed. (Venue (retractable roof), as of 2026-06-30)
Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan). (FIFA Round-of-32 match appointments, matched by venue and kickoff time, as of 2026-06-30)
Venue: Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Atlanta, GA, United States — FIFA strips sponsor names for the tournament; the everyday name is in parentheses.
