England vs DR Congo: Can the Leopards Bite the Favorites?

Predictions

England top their group and walk in as one of the teams tipped to lift the trophy, so they are the clear pick over DR Congo.

They won their group and they have more star quality than almost anyone left.

But here is the thing, DR Congo are back in the knockouts and playing with nothing to lose.

So a fearless underdog against a nervy favorite can always turn into a long afternoon.

• Our prediction: England win 3-1.
• NBC Sports: England win 3-1 and move on.
• FOX Sports: England are strong favorites to advance.

England arrive as one of the tournament favorites

Few teams came into this World Cup with more hype than this one.

England are packed with players from the biggest clubs in Europe.

That is why so many fans and experts tip them to go deep this summer.

And they backed up the talk by topping Group L with 7 points.

It started with a thriller, a 4-2 win over Croatia.

Then they ran into a wall and drew 0-0 with Ghana.

But they finished the job with a 2-0 win over Panama to seal first place.

So England walk into this knockout game with a lot of confidence.

DR Congo are back and playing free

Here is why this game is not the easy win it might look.

DR Congo are nicknamed the Leopards, and they fear nobody.

Nobody expected them to reach the knockouts, so every minute from here is a bonus for them.

They squeezed out of Group K as one of the best third-placed teams on 4 points.

It began well with a 1-1 draw against Portugal, a huge result for them.

Then they lost 1-0 to Colombia, which left them needing a big result.

And they delivered, with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan to grab their spot.

So this is a team riding a wave, and waves like that can scare anyone.

Why are England the favorites?

Start with how England got here, because winning a group takes more than one good night.

They scored 4 against Croatia, kept Panama out, and only dropped points in a careful 0-0 with Ghana.

That run shows a team that can attack when it needs to and dig in when it has to.

And up front the choices are scary, because almost every England forward can win a game on his own.

Captain Harry Kane, midfielder Jude Bellingham, and winger Bukayo Saka would walk into any team at this World Cup.

DR Congo cannot match that much talent, and they know it.

What they do have is fresh legs and a plan to hit fast on the break, which keeps England honest.

The bookmakers see the gap clearly, pricing England at about -360, roughly a 78% chance to win in 90 minutes.

DR Congo come in at about +1100, only an 8% chance, while a draw sits near +440.

Our call: 3-1 for England

England should win this, and the scoreline says how we expect it to go.

Their forwards are simply on another level, so we back them to find the net 3 times.

The first goal is the key, because once England lead, DR Congo have to chase and that opens the game up even more.

Now for the one we hand to the Leopards, and it is not just to be kind.

Yoane Wissa and Cédric Bakambu are real strikers who can punish any mistake that England's defense could make.

So we land on a 3-1 win for England, with one of those two grabbing a goal for DR Congo.

Where and when is the match?

The game is on Wednesday July 1, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta, Georgia.

And kickoff is 12:00 noon Eastern time.

Still need a ticket? Take a look at our World Cup tickets guide.