Pre-matchWednesday, July 1

Three Lions vs The Leopards: England's Round of 32 Showdown with DR Congo

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England enter their first knockout fixture of the 2026 World Cup as heavy favourites against DR Congo, with 67 of 71 pool players backing the Three Lions to advance.

A thumping 67-4 consensus in the pool mirrors the market's view entirely — the only real debate is the scoreline, with 2-0 (23 picks), 2-1 (13 picks), and 3-1 (11 picks) the top three guesses, suggesting most of you expect goals but not a rout.

The Stakes: A Last-16 Spot Up for Grabs

This is a straight knockout — win or go home. England qualified from their group and carry the weight of a nation that has been waiting since 1966 for the ultimate prize. DR Congo, competing in just their second-ever World Cup knockout round, arrive as massive underdogs but with a point to prove for African football. Lose here and the Leopards head home with heads held high for simply reaching the last 32; lose here for England and it becomes a national crisis.

Team News & Expected Lineups

Based on reporting ahead of the fixture, Gareth Southgate's successor (England are now managed by Thomas Tuchel, appointed in October 2024) is expected to field a strong XI with Jude Bellingham pulling the strings in midfield, Harry Kane leading the line, and Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka providing the width. Jordan Pickford is expected in goal. DR Congo, coached by Sébastien Desabre, are likely to set up compactly and look to hit on the counter through Dodi Lukebakio and Jonathan David — the latter one of the tournament's most dangerous forwards regardless of the jersey he's wearing. No major injury concerns have been confirmed for England at the time of writing, though updates closer to kickoff may change the picture.

The Key Matchup: Bellingham vs Congo's Midfield Block

The chess match that will define this game is whether Jude Bellingham can find pockets of space between DR Congo's disciplined defensive and midfield lines. The Leopards are not here to be embarrassed — they'll sit deep, stay organised, and make England work. If Bellingham can ghost into those half-spaces the way he did for Real Madrid in La Liga, the floodgates could open. If Congo's midfield pins him deep, England may find it a frustratingly scrappy afternoon before a late breakthrough.

What the Market Says

England are clear and heavy favourites across all major bookmakers for this fixture, consistent with their status as one of the top-four fancied sides to win the entire tournament. DR Congo are priced as significant longshots to cause an upset. The pool's 67-4 split in favour of England lines up almost exactly with market sentiment — this is one of those games where the crowd and the bookies are singing from the same hymn sheet. The only live question is whether England win comfortably (the 2-0 brigade, 23 strong) or whether the Leopards nick a goal and make it nervy (the 2-1 camp, 13 picks). Given Jonathan David's predatory instincts, the 2-1 believers might be onto something.

▸Sources (27)