The capital, Kinshasa, was abuzz with exceptional celebrations on Sunday, as the Democratic Republic of the Congo national team celebrated qualifying for the 2026 World Cup following their 1-0 victory over Jamaica in the intercontinental play-off, securing their return to the World Cup for the first time in 50 years.
The celebrations that swept through the capital’s streets turned into a national celebration, with thousands of fans turning out to welcome the ‘Lions’, who paraded through the streets amid an atmosphere of pride and joy, celebrating a long-awaited achievement.
The media and social media sites circulated clips showing striker Cédric Bakambu in fine physical form, sharing the fans’ joy, after he missed his team Real Betis’s last match against Espanyol.
Reports suggest that the player may also miss the Europa League quarter-final clash against Braga next Thursday.
The celebrations were not limited to the fans, as the national team received a grand official welcome upon their arrival at Ngeli International Airport, where they were greeted by the country’s president, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who congratulated them on their historic achievement.
However, the joy of qualification was not without controversy, as the celebrations angered some European clubs, notably French sides Lille and Lens, due to the delayed return of their players Chancel Mbemba and Arthur Masuaku to France, which resulted in their absence from the Northern Derby in the French league.
Lille president Olivier Létang expressed his dissatisfaction with the Congolese Football Association’s actions, saying:
He added: “The Congolese Football Federation unilaterally decided to keep the players until Monday, even though FIFA regulations are clear: players must return to their clubs within 48 hours of the match.”
He added: “The player was supposed to be back on Thursday. The case is already with FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, as this is a very dangerous precedent for all clubs that pay players’ salaries. The relevant bodies are very sensitive to this matter and have already written to the Congolese Football Association.”
Having qualified for only the second World Cup in its history, the Democratic Republic of the Congo joins Group K at the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada between 11 June and 19 July, alongside Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.
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