England face DR Congo for place in World Cup last 16
Al Jazeera says the winner of the round-of-32 tie will meet cohosts Mexico in the next round.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
England meet DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32, with a last-16 match against cohosts Mexico awaiting the winner, according to Al Jazeera. The match matters for an England side that Al Jazeera says is trying to end a 60-year wait for a major tournament title.
Al Jazeera opened live coverage of the fixture with pre-match buildup, analysis, photo coverage, team news and minute-by-minute commentary. Patrick Keddie was listed as handling the buildup, with Rohan Sharma due to provide lineups and live match commentary once teams were announced.
England arrive after uneven group stage
Al Jazeera reported that England topped Group L, but did so without fully convincing through their first three matches in the United States. Their campaign began with a 4-2 win over Croatia before a goalless draw against Ghana.
England then beat Panama 2-0 to secure first place in the group, according to Al Jazeera. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored in that match, though Al Jazeera said England still struggled for long spells.
The round-of-32 match gives England another chance to build momentum after a group phase that produced two wins and one draw. Al Jazeera framed the game as a test against a DR Congo team that had already shown it could trouble established opponents.
DR Congo advance as top third-place side
DR Congo reached the knockout stage as the best third-place team from the group phase, according to Al Jazeera. Their route included a draw against Portugal and a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan in their final group match.
Al Jazeera said DR Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan and secure progression. The result sent them into a knockout tie against England, one of the tournament’s higher-profile teams.
The winner will face Mexico in the last 16, according to Al Jazeera. Mexico are one of the cohosts of the 2026 World Cup, alongside the United States and Canada.
Coverage includes World Cup highlights
Al Jazeera also posted a video package titled “World Cup 2026 match highlights Day 20.” The listed running time for the highlights video was 9 minutes and 25 seconds.
The live page included sections for commentary, key updates, lineups, statistics and standings. At the time of the update, the coverage had not yet listed the starting lineups in the visible updates.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.