Duo withdraw from DR Congo squad for World Cup qualifiers

DR Congo players train: Photo Credit:

Congolese Association Football Federation

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been hit by the withdrawal of two key players from the squad to face South Sudan on March 21, 2025.

The DRC football federation confirmed that defenders Gédéon Kalulu and Axel Tuanzebe will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H qualifiers against South Sudan followed by Mauritania on March 24, 2025 in Nouakchott.

The Leopards coach Sébastien Desabre has since replaced Kalulu with Bryan Bayeye (Radnički Niš, Serbia) while Jeremy Ngakia (Watford, England) will step in for Tuanzebe. Foreign-based players such as Chancel Mbemba, Dimitry Bertaud, Simon Banza, and Cédric Bakambu have since joined the squad in Kinshasa.

The DRC sit in third place in the standing with 7 points, three points behind leaders Sudan while second-placed Senegal have eight points.