DR Congo vs Uzbekistan prediction. DR Congo — back at the World Cup after a 52-year absence — face winless Uzbekistan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta on Sunday, 28 June 2026 (01:30 SAST (Sunday, 28 June 2026)). Both sides need a win to have any chance of advancing as best third-placed teams. Wissa and Bakambu lead; Fayzullaev and Shomurodov for Uzbekistan. Our prediction: DR Congo to win.Full analysis, team news, line-ups and all markets on SportPesa.
Match details
| Field | Detail |
| Competition | 2026 FIFA World Cup — Group K, Match Day 3 |
| Date & kick-off | Sunday, 28 June 2026 at 01:30 SAST (Sunday, 28 June 2026) |
| Venue | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
| Group K standings | After Match Day 2: Colombia 6pts (qualified), DR Congo 1pt, Uzbekistan 0pts, Republic of Congo TBC |
| Stakes | Both sides need a win to maintain a chance of advancing as best third-placed team. |
| Simultaneous match | Portugal vs Republic of Congo — will determine the Group K final standings. |
| DR Congo disambiguation | DR Congo = Democratic Republic of Congo. Republic of Congo is a different nation, also in Group K. |
| Where to watch | DSTV/GOTV |
DR Congo’s landmark return vs Uzbekistan’s debut survival
DR Congo’s return to the World Cup after 52 years — their only previous appearance was in 1974 as Zaire — has been more than a nostalgia story. Under Sébastien Desabre, the Leopards drew 1-1 with Portugal in their opener, with Yoane Wissa heading home an Arthur Masuaku cross to earn the nation’s first ever World Cup point. They held firm defensively against Colombia in Match Day 2 before a Daniel Muñoz strike in the 76th minute eventually broke their resistance. A tight, disciplined campaign, then — but they need more.
Captain Chancel Mbemba, with over 100 international caps, leads a defensively organised side. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham) provides Premier League quality at right-back. Cédric Bakambu starts alongside Wissa and is edging towards a personal scoring milestone. Their only realistic path forward is a win here combined with results from other groups favouring them as best third-placed team.
Uzbekistan’s debut campaign has been a steep learning curve. A 1-3 defeat to Colombia was followed by a devastating 0-5 loss to Portugal, in which Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice. They have conceded eight goals and scored just one — Abbosbek Fayzullaev’s strike against Colombia remains Uzbekistan’s only World Cup goal, and a historic one at that. Coach Fabio Cannavaro — the former Italy World Cup winner — must find a way to organise a side that has been overrun by quality opposition. Eldor Shomurodov leads the attack alongside Fayzullaev.
Team news and expected line-ups
DR Congo: No injury concerns. Mbemba marshals the defence. Wan-Bissaka at right-back. Wissa and Bakambu up front.
Uzbekistan: Full strength. Fayzullaev leads creative play. Shomurodov leads the attack. Nematov in goal.
| DR Congo (4-4-2) | Uzbekistan (4-3-3) |
| Mpasi (GK) | Nematov (GK) |
| Wan-Bissaka (RB) | Khusanov (CB) |
| Mbemba (CB) | Abdullaev (CB) |
| Kapuadi (CB) | Ashurmatov (CB) |
| Tuanzebe (CB) | Karimov (LB) |
| Masuaku (LB) | Nasrullaev (RM) |
| Mukau (RM) | Hamrobekov (CM) |
| Moutoussamy (CM) | Shukurov (CM) |
| Kayembe (LM) | Ganiev (LM) |
| Bakambu (ST) | Fayzullaev (AM) |
| Wissa (ST) | Shomurodov (ST) |
Key stats
- DR Congo: 1pt from 2 matches. Drew Portugal 1-1 (MD1, Wissa goal), lost Colombia 0-1 (MD2, Munoz 76’).
- DR Congo: returning to the World Cup after a 52-year absence (last appeared: 1974 as Zaire).
- Yoane Wissa (Brentford): scored DR Congo’s first ever World Cup goal vs Portugal. Leads the line.
- Cedric Bakambu: starting alongside Wissa. Approaching a personal scoring milestone.
- Chancel Mbemba: DR Congo captain with 100+ international caps. Defensive leader.
- Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham): Premier League quality at right-back.
- Uzbekistan: 0pts from 2 matches. Lost Colombia 1-3 (MD1, Fayzullaev scored), lost Portugal 0-5 (MD2, Ronaldo brace).
- Uzbekistan: World Cup debut. Conceded 8 goals, scored 1 in 2 matches.
- Abbosbek Fayzullaev: scored Uzbekistan’s first ever World Cup goal vs Colombia.
- Eldor Shomurodov: leads Uzbekistan’s attack alongside Fayzullaev.
- Fabio Cannavaro: Uzbekistan coach. Former Italy World Cup winner.
- KE live odds stripped — DR Congo 1.83, Uzbekistan 4.10, draw 3.95.
- H2H: first ever meeting between DR Congo and Uzbekistan in any fixture.
- Group K standings (after MD2): Colombia 6pts, DR Congo 1pt, Uzbekistan 0pts.
Head-to-head
DR Congo and Uzbekistan have never previously met in any fixture — competitive or friendly. This World Cup Group K match is the first ever encounter between the two nations.
Current form
| Team | Last 5 (inc. WC) |
| DR Congo | D L D W W — competitive record showing resilience |
| Uzbekistan | L L L D W — conceded 8 in 2 WC matches, winless in last 5 |
Our prediction
DR Congo are the clear favourites. Their squad has shown genuine quality and resilience, and the individual ability of Wissa, Bakambu, Wan-Bissaka, and Mbemba significantly outweighs anything Uzbekistan can offer at this level. The difference in tournament form — one point vs zero, one goal conceded vs eight — tells the story.
Uzbekistan are not without attacking spirit. Fayzullaev’s creativity and Shomurodov’s physical presence up front mean DR Congo cannot be passive. KE’s analysis suggests both teams to score is a genuine possibility given that both sides will be attacking. But DR Congo’s experience, organisation, and the motivation of their historic return should carry them through.
Our prediction: DR Congo to win.
Odds and markets
Odds correct at 0130Hrs UTC on 28/06/2026.
How to bet on SportPesa
- Open the DR Congo vs Uzbekistan event page on SportPesa (link above).
- Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
- Enter your stake and place your bet.
Frequently asked questions
What time does DR Congo vs Uzbekistan kick off?
Kick-off is at 01:30 SAST (Sunday, 28 June 2026) on Sunday, 28 June 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Is DR Congo the same as Congo in Group K?
No. DR Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo) and the Republic of Congo are two different nations. Both are in Group K. DR Congo face Uzbekistan in this match; the Republic of Congo faces Portugal in the simultaneous fixture.
Can DR Congo still qualify from Group K?
Yes, mathematically. A win here, combined with a large enough goal difference to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams across all groups, could see DR Congo advance. It depends on results elsewhere, but their own fate is in their hands with a win.
Who scored DR Congo’s first ever World Cup goal?
Yoane Wissa scored DR Congo’s first ever World Cup goal in their 1-1 draw with Portugal on Match Day 1, heading home a cross from Arthur Masuaku to earn the Leopards their first-ever World Cup point.
What group are DR Congo and Uzbekistan in at World Cup 2026?
Both sides are in Group K alongside Colombia and the Republic of Congo. After Match Day 2, Colombia have already qualified with six points. DR Congo have one point and Uzbekistan are yet to score a point.
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