DR Congo national football team

Mens national football team.

The DR Congo national football team, known as Les Léopards (The Leopards), represents the Democratic Republic of the Congo in international football competitions. It is governed by the Fédération Congolaise de Football-Association (FECOFA) and is a member of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Les Léopards have a rich history in African football, having won the Africa Cup of Nations twice (1968 and 1974) and the African Nations Championship twice (2009 and 2016). They were also the first Sub-Saharan African team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, participating in the 1974 tournament as Zaire.

DR Congo's highest FIFA ranking was 28th, achieved in July-August 2017. Their home stadium is the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. The team's current captain is Chancel Mbemba, who also holds the record for most caps with 89 appearances. Dieumerci Mbokani is the team's all-time top scorer with 22 goals.

Throughout their history, DR Congo has experienced periods of success and struggle. Their 1974 World Cup appearance, while resulting in three losses, included a memorable moment when defender Mwepu Ilunga ran out of the wall to kick away a Brazilian free-kick before it was taken. In recent years, the team has shown improvement, reaching the semi-finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and finishing third.

Under current coach Sébastien Desabre, DR Congo continues to strive for success on the continental stage. They recently participated in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the semi-finals before losing to the hosts and eventual champions, Ivory Coast. The team is currently involved in qualification matches for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.