Sébastien Desabre is the man guiding DR Congo at the FIFA World Cup 2026, where they face England in the Round of 32 — a moment that marks only the nation's second-ever World Cup appearance.

The Frenchman, 49, took charge of DR Congo in 2022 and has since steered the team to their first tournament since 1974, a remarkable achievement spanning more than half a century of absence from the world's biggest stage.

A path through Africa

Desabre's coaching résumé is rooted in the African continent. Before taking over DR Congo, he managed at club level in Egypt and Morocco, building a detailed understanding of African football's rhythms and demands.

His most notable stint prior to DR Congo came with the Uganda national team. Within a single year in charge, Desabre guided Uganda to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, a feat that earned the side a nomination for CAF's National Team of the Year award.

At that AFCON, Uganda finished second in their group behind Egypt before falling to Senegal — the eventual finalists — in the Round of 16. Desabre departed Uganda by mutual consent shortly after the tournament concluded.

Building DR Congo into a World Cup side

When Desabre took the reins at DR Congo in 2022, the nation had just missed out on the Qatar World Cup. His mandate was clear: reach North America in 2026.

He delivered. DR Congo secured their place with decisive wins over Nigeria and Cameroon during the qualifying campaign, before confirming their spot through the inter-confederation play-offs against Jamaica. That tie went to 120 minutes, with DR Congo scoring the decisive goal in the 100th minute to win 1-0.

Desabre also led DR Congo to the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost to eventual champions Ivory Coast. Along the way, they defeated Egypt in the Round of 16, Guinea in the quarter-finals, and held Morocco to a draw in the group stage.

At the 2026 World Cup

DR Congo opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 1-1 draw against Portugal before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Colombia. Desabre's side then sealed their place in the Round of 32 with a commanding 3-1 win over Uzbekistan.

Now they face England — and Desabre, the architect of one of African football's most compelling qualifying stories, will be in the dugout.