England v Congo DR, 01 July 2026

Score2-1 to England
RefereeAdham Makhadmeh
CompetitionFIFA World Cup Finals - Round of 32
VenueMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta GA
Attendance68,239

View England v Congo DR head to head

Kick-off: 12.00pm local . FIFA World Ranking: England 4th, Congo DR 46th . This was the first-ever meeting at ‘A’ international level.

2 England

Manager: Thomas Tuchel

1 Congo DR

Manager: Sebastien Desabre

Goals:

Harry Kane 75 G
Harry Kane 86 G

Goals:

Brian Cipenga 7 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
Defender Marc Guéhi
Defender Djed Spence
Defender/Midfielder Ezri Konsa
Defender/Midfielder Nico O'Reilly
Defender/Midfielder Declan Rice
Midfielder Elliott Anderson
Midfielder Jude Bellingham
Midfielder/Forward Noni Madueke
Midfielder/Forward Marcus Rashford
Forward Harry Kane (captain)

Starting lineup:

Lionel Mpasi Goalkeeper
Chancel Mbemba Defender (captain)
Axel Tuanzebe Defender
Arthur Masuaku Defender/Midfielder
Noah Sadiki Defender/Midfielder
Aaron Wan-Bissaka Defender/Midfielder
Samuel Moutoussamy Midfielder
Ngal'ayel Mukau Midfielder
Brian Cipenga Midfielder/Forward
Nathanael Mbuku Midfielder/Forward
Yoane Wissa Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Anthony Gordon for Marcus Rashford 60
Bukayo Saka for Noni Madueke 60
Eberechi Eze for Djed Spence 70
John Stones for Declan Rice 90+1

Substitutions:

Meschak Elia for Nathanael Mbuku 64
Theo Bongonda for Brian Cipenga 76
Edo Kayembe for Ngal'ayel Mukau 76
Joris Kayembe for Arthur Masuaku 89
Fiston Mayele for Samuel Moutoussamy 89

Cards:

Jude Bellingham 19 Y

Cards:

Noah Sadiki 27 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Dean Henderson
Goalkeeper James Trafford
Defender Dan Burn
Defender Trevoh Chalobah
Defender Jarell Quansah
Defender/Midfielder Jordan Henderson
Defender/Midfielder Reece James
Defender/Midfielder John Stones
Defender/Midfielder/Forward Bukayo Saka
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo
Midfielder/Forward Eberechi Eze
Midfielder/Forward Anthony Gordon
Midfielder/Forward Morgan Rogers
Forward Ivan Toney
Forward Ollie Watkins

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo
Goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu
Defender Dylan Batubinsika
Defender Gédéon Kalulu
Defender Steve Kapuadi
Defender/Midfielder Joris Kayembe
Midfielder Edo Kayembe
Midfielder Charles Pickel
Midfielder Aaron Tshibola
Midfielder/Forward Simon Banza
Midfielder/Forward Theo Bongonda
Midfielder/Forward Meschak Elia
Midfielder/Forward Gaël Kakuta
Midfielder/Forward Fiston Mayele
Forward Cédric Bakambu

Comments:

England had now progressed to at least the Round of 16 in seven of their eight participations since they last failed to qualify for a FIFA World Cup tournament in 1994 in USA. . This was the first time that the Three Lions had won a game at a FIFA World Cup tournament when trailing at half-time (drawn two, lost seven) and come from behind to win a FIFA World Cup finals game for the first time since the Quarter-final in 1990 against Cameroon in Naples, Italy. . Harry Kane’s two goals in 11 minutes became the quickest a player had scored two goals to turn a losing position into a win in a knockout game at a FIFA World Cup finals since Eusebio for Portugal against Korea DPR in 1966 in England (four minutes). [c/o Mr Chiping].

Comments:

In their second participation at a FIFA World Cup tournament (previously as Zaire in 1974 in Germany), Congo DR had progressed to the knockout phase for the first time. . The Leopards had now scored in consecutive games at the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time. . With his first-ever goal for Congo DR, Brian Cipenga had now scored the second-ever earliest goal by a CAF (African) nation in a game in the knockout phase at a FIFA World Cup tournament after Kevin-Prince Boateng for Ghana against USA in Rustenberg, South Africa in 2010 (5th minute).

2 England

Manager: Thomas Tuchel

Goals:

Harry Kane 75 G
Harry Kane 86 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
Defender Marc Guéhi
Defender Djed Spence
Defender/Midfielder Ezri Konsa
Defender/Midfielder Nico O'Reilly
Defender/Midfielder Declan Rice
Midfielder Elliott Anderson
Midfielder Jude Bellingham
Midfielder/Forward Noni Madueke
Midfielder/Forward Marcus Rashford
Forward Harry Kane (captain)

Substitutions:

Anthony Gordon for Marcus Rashford 60
Bukayo Saka for Noni Madueke 60
Eberechi Eze for Djed Spence 70
John Stones for Declan Rice 90+1

Cards:

Jude Bellingham 19 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Dean Henderson
Goalkeeper James Trafford
Defender Dan Burn
Defender Trevoh Chalobah
Defender Jarell Quansah
Defender/Midfielder Jordan Henderson
Defender/Midfielder Reece James
Defender/Midfielder John Stones
Defender/Midfielder/Forward Bukayo Saka
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo
Midfielder/Forward Eberechi Eze
Midfielder/Forward Anthony Gordon
Midfielder/Forward Morgan Rogers
Forward Ivan Toney
Forward Ollie Watkins

Comments:

England had now progressed to at least the Round of 16 in seven of their eight participations since they last failed to qualify for a FIFA World Cup tournament in 1994 in USA. . This was the first time that the Three Lions had won a game at a FIFA World Cup tournament when trailing at half-time (drawn two, lost seven) and come from behind to win a FIFA World Cup finals game for the first time since the Quarter-final in 1990 against Cameroon in Naples, Italy. . Harry Kane’s two goals in 11 minutes became the quickest a player had scored two goals to turn a losing position into a win in a knockout game at a FIFA World Cup finals since Eusebio for Portugal against Korea DPR in 1966 in England (four minutes). [c/o Mr Chiping].

1 Congo DR

Manager: Sebastien Desabre

Goals:

Brian Cipenga 7 G

Starting lineup:

Lionel Mpasi Goalkeeper
Chancel Mbemba Defender (captain)
Axel Tuanzebe Defender
Arthur Masuaku Defender/Midfielder
Noah Sadiki Defender/Midfielder
Aaron Wan-Bissaka Defender/Midfielder
Samuel Moutoussamy Midfielder
Ngal'ayel Mukau Midfielder
Brian Cipenga Midfielder/Forward
Nathanael Mbuku Midfielder/Forward
Yoane Wissa Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Meschak Elia for Nathanael Mbuku 64
Theo Bongonda for Brian Cipenga 76
Edo Kayembe for Ngal'ayel Mukau 76
Joris Kayembe for Arthur Masuaku 89
Fiston Mayele for Samuel Moutoussamy 89

Cards:

Noah Sadiki 27 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo
Goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu
Defender Dylan Batubinsika
Defender Gédéon Kalulu
Defender Steve Kapuadi
Defender/Midfielder Joris Kayembe
Midfielder Edo Kayembe
Midfielder Charles Pickel
Midfielder Aaron Tshibola
Midfielder/Forward Simon Banza
Midfielder/Forward Theo Bongonda
Midfielder/Forward Meschak Elia
Midfielder/Forward Gaël Kakuta
Midfielder/Forward Fiston Mayele
Forward Cédric Bakambu

Comments:

In their second participation at a FIFA World Cup tournament (previously as Zaire in 1974 in Germany), Congo DR had progressed to the knockout phase for the first time. . The Leopards had now scored in consecutive games at the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time. . With his first-ever goal for Congo DR, Brian Cipenga had now scored the second-ever earliest goal by a CAF (African) nation in a game in the knockout phase at a FIFA World Cup tournament after Kevin-Prince Boateng for Ghana against USA in Rustenberg, South Africa in 2010 (5th minute).