DR Congo have called up six new European-based players to their squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Head coach Sébastien Desabre is looking to build on the momentum generated by the team's historic run to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Leopards will face Equatorial Guinea at home on September 24 before travelling to play Zimbabwe on September 28. These will be their first matches since their World Cup elimination, a 2-1 defeat to England on July 1. Their recent form shows one win, one draw and three losses from their last five outings. Their next fixture after this double-header is a friendly against Egypt on October 15.

New Faces for a New Campaign

The six new call-ups are Willy Kambwala (Como), Ezechiel Banzuzi (Leipzig), Stanis Idumbo, Jordy Makengo (Freiburg), Noah Mbamba (Lorient), and Kevin Pedro (Saint-Étienne). For four of these players, Banzuzi (Netherlands), Idumbo and Mbamba (Belgium), and Pedro (France), a change of international allegiance with FIFA is required, as they have previously been capped at youth level. No approvals have yet been registered on FIFA's Change of Association Platform.

Desabre is on a charm offensive to persuade European-born players of Congolese heritage to commit to the national team. "DR Congo will later this month play their first matches since the World Cup, where they were 15 minutes away from an upset win over England in Atlanta," the French coach said.

Building for the Future with Uganda Friendlies

Beyond the qualifiers, Desabre has scheduled two friendly matches against Uganda on October 2 and 5 to assess further prospects. Six additional players are invited for that camp, including Jorthy Mokio (Ajax), Paris Maghoma, Stephy Mavididi, and Anthony Musaba. Mokio's case is specific: having played for Belgium in March 2025, he faces a three-year cooling-off period before being eligible for DR Congo in competitive matches, though the friendlies allow for early integration.

The coach also has to manage absences, with Noah Mbamba among those currently listed as sidelined. The aim is to convert the World Cup momentum, where the team progressed past the group stage for the first time, into a solid qualification campaign. The full squad list is available on our squad page.

The Congolese federation, which has previously named players without securing formal agreements, hopes these processes will now be completed. Successfully integrating these new talents could reinvigorate a side looking to bounce back from a run of three consecutive defeats.

More detail at reuters.com

Manager Sébastien Desabre confirmed that three players are currently unavailable for the match against Equatorial Guinea. "We have to deal with the absences of Lionel Mpasi, Noah Mbamba and Stanis Idumbo," Desabre said. DR Congo faces Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday for its first match since its 2-1 defeat to England on July 1.