Ecstatic football supporters flooded the rain-soaked streets of Kinshasa, celebrating late into the night after the Democratic Republic of Congo secured a spot in the World Cup for the first time in over half a century. The decisive moment came when defender Axel Tuanzebe, a Premier League player for Burnley, scored the only goal during extra time in a 1-0 victory against Jamaica in an intercontinental playoff held in Mexico on Tuesday.
In a significant development, the central African nation will compete in Group K at the upcoming finals in North America this summer, facing Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan. The last time the team appeared on football’s biggest stage was in 1974 in West Germany, when they played as Zaire and suffered defeats against Scotland, Yugoslavia, and Brazil.
“We gave it our all, right here in the rain!” exclaimed Beni Ile, a fan in Kinshasa, his shoulders wrapped in a drenched DRC flag. “We won’t be working on Wednesday! It’s going to be a national holiday. We’re going to celebrate and party all night long. We’ve waited 50 years for this. We’re staying out until dawn.”
The jubilant atmosphere was echoed throughout Kinshasa, a city of 17 million, where the final whistle in Guadalajara sparked a symphony of banging pots, honking car horns, and whistles. The victory capped a dramatic qualification journey for the Leopards, who had previously eliminated African football powerhouses Nigeria and Cameroon.
From early morning, many residents donned the sky-blue jerseys of their national team, and by evening, hundreds gathered in a central city square to watch the match. Despite heavy rain, the conclusion of the tense 120-minute game was met with overwhelming national pride and relief.
Notably, this triumph offered a rare moment of unity in a country long affected by three decades of conflict and the recent resurgence of the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group. “It’s truly exceptional, we are very proud of the Leopards today for this feat,” said Merou, a native of Goma, a key eastern city that fell to M23 forces in January 2025. “This victory will unify the Congo. We hope the whole country will benefit from it,” he added, standing in the pouring rain.
Another delighted supporter, Maclain, reflected, “We deserve a moment of happiness, away from the gunfire. We need to come together too.”
