The Democratic Republic of Congo have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 52 years after edging Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in the inter confederation play off final in Mexico. Axel Tuanzebe proved the hero with the decisive goal, sending Les Léopards back to football’s biggest stage for the first time since 1974, when the nation competed as Zaire.
With both nations chasing only their second appearance at a World Cup finals, the stakes were immense from the outset. DR Congo looked the sharper and more adventurous side in the opening stages, believing they had struck early when Cédric Bakambu finished from close range, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. That would become a familiar source of frustration for the African side during a contest they largely controlled.
Sebastien Desabre’s men continued to dominate possession and territory, creating the better openings and forcing Jamaica onto the back foot for long spells. Bakambu remained at the heart of their attacking threat, while Meschack Elia and Nathanael Mbuku helped stretch the Reggae Boyz, but the breakthrough refused to arrive in normal time. Jamaica, who had needed to dig deep just to reach the final, relied heavily on goalkeeper Andre Blake and their defensive discipline to stay in the contest.
Even when DR Congo thought they had finally found the decisive moment late in the second half, they were denied again by the offside flag. That meant the match moved into extra time with tension rising, but the balance of play still favoured the Congolese side, who continued to push for the goal their performance deserved.
The winning moment eventually arrived in the 100th minute. From a corner, the ball dropped kindly inside the area and Tuanzebe forced it over the line from close range. The goal was checked for a possible handball before being confirmed, sparking jubilant celebrations among the DR Congo players and supporters as they moved within touching distance of qualification.
Jamaica threw bodies forward in the closing stages in search of an equaliser, but DR Congo held firm to seal one of the most significant wins in the country’s football history. The result sends them into Group K at the 2026 World Cup alongside Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan, while Jamaica’s hopes of reaching the finals for the first time since 1998 are left unfulfilled once again
