Football fans in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been waiting a long time to right the wrongs of their solitary World Cup campaign in 1974. Victory for the Leopards in Tuesday's intercontinental play-off final against Jamaica will end that 52-year wait and guarantee Africa a 10th representative at this year's tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA. "We were not a bad team," Mohamed Kalambay, one of the goalkeepers in the 1974 squad, told BBC Sporting Witness in 2022. Darker reasons have been suggested for Ilunga's moment of madness and the team's underperformance, ranging from unpaid bonuses to threats of violence. Victory against Jamaica will see them join a group containing Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.

Source: BBC March 30, 2026 17:12 UTC