DR Congo face Uzbekistan in Atlanta on Sunday, June 28 — kick-off at 7.30pm ET — in a Group K finale that carries serious knockout-stage implications for the Leopards. Colombia and Portugal have already locked up the top two positions, leaving DR Congo and Uzbekistan to battle it out for third place.

Congo's journey to this point

Under coach Sebastian Desabre, DR Congo have exceeded expectations at FIFA World Cup 2026. The Leopards held Portugal to a 1-1 draw before losing narrowly 1-0 to Colombia — results that place them firmly in contention to finish among the best eight third-placed sides and advance to the round of 32.

It is a remarkable contrast to their only previous World Cup appearance, where they lost all three group matches — including a 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Yugoslavia. Desabre has built a disciplined, defensively resilient squad, one that kept eight clean sheets across 13 qualifying matches. Even against the attacking talent of Portugal and Colombia, they were rarely torn apart.

Against Uzbekistan, the Leopards are expected to shift into a more attacking mode. Much will depend on veteran striker Cedric Bakambu and Newcastle forward Yoann Wissa providing the cutting edge that could prove decisive.

Uzbekistan's difficult campaign

The White Wolves arrive in Atlanta having conceded eight goals in two matches — a 5-0 defeat to Portugal and a heavy loss to Colombia. Their difficulties extend to the pre-tournament period, where they were beaten 2-0 by Canada and 2-1 by the Netherlands in their final warm-up fixtures.

A first-ever World Cup win would be required for Uzbekistan to entertain any realistic hope of progressing. While that outcome looks unlikely given their form, upsets have already occurred at this tournament.

How to watch DR Congo vs Uzbekistan

The match is available free of charge across several broadcasters: BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey. In the United States, the game is broadcast on FS1, accessible through Fox One, YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling, Fubo, or DirecTV.

FourFourTwo's prediction

DR Congo 2-0 Uzbekistan. The Leopards are expected to capitalise on Uzbekistan's defensive frailties and secure their place in the last 32.