Congo erupted in jubilation overnight after a dramatic 100th-minute goal against Jamaica secured their return to the World Cup for the first time in over half a century.
Across the nation, people danced, cheered, and embraced, finding a rare moment of collective joy in a country ravaged by conflict in its mineral-rich eastern regions.
The historic qualification came courtesy of Axel Tuanzebe’s extra-time strike from a corner, sealing a 1-0 victory over Jamaica in Tuesday night’s intercontinental play-off in Guadalajara, Mexico.
This triumph brought immense relief to millions in the central African nation, long accustomed to grim news of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels clashing with government forces. This decades-long conflict has spawned one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, displacing at least seven million people.
Congo last participated in the World Cup in 1974, then known as Zaire, a vastly different reality from today.
Currently, Rwanda-backed rebels exert control over significant swathes of land and territories in the country’s resource-rich east.
In Goma, the epicentre of the violence and under rebel control for over a year, an overjoyed Alain Kagama shared from a bar: “Look at this crowd, we are full of joy because the victory is ours, we are very happy. It has been a long time since we smiled, but today we are happy.”
Another fan in Goma, Christian Mihigo, added: “Today is truly a historic day, we are full of joy as you can see. It was our parents who last saw us at the World Cup, but today we are part of a story that we will tell our children.”
The victory transcended political divides, drawing commendations from both the government and the rebels.
Videos showed Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi celebrating with soccer fans and officials, while M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka told The Associated Press: “It’s a matter of joy, it’s a pleasure that at the next World Cup, the Congolese national team will be represented.”
Despite this unifying moment, the conflict persists. Since January 2025, fighting has intensified between Congolese armed forces and the M23, following the rebels’ swift capture of key cities like Goma and Bukavu.
A truce brokered by the United States and Qatar has failed to hold, with clashes and drone strikes continuing, including a February strike that killed a senior rebel official.
With their playoff victory, Congo now completes Group K at the World Cup, where they are set to face Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.
As the team celebrated on the pitch in Guadalajara, countless fans across Congo remained glued to their screens, savouring a moment of hope and unity they wished would never end.
