2026 World Cup: England vs. Congo—Probable Lineups

England and Congo take the field at 6 p.m. (Italian time) in Atlanta for their Round of 16 match at the 2026 World Cup in North America. The winner of this match will face host Mexico next Monday at Azteca Stadium for a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament. England has shown two sides so far: Tuchel’s team won its group but left some questions unanswered. After a strong victory over Croatia, the English were shut out by Ghana, highlighting clear difficulties in facing a team focused primarily on defense.

The first half against Panama was also lackluster, before a comeback in the second half sparked by the two stars, Kane and Bellingham, who will be called upon to repeat their performance against a tough opponent like Congo. The African team, which qualified for the Round of 16 as the best of all third-place finishers in the World Cup, navigated a tough group by forcing a draw against Ronaldo’s Portugal and defeating Uzbekistan. Their only loss came at the hands of Colombia.

This will be a tricky match for the Three Lions, who will once again field Kane as center forward against Congo, with Saka, Bellingham, and Rashford behind him. Anderson and Rice will anchor the midfield, while Spence and O’Reilly will play as fullbacks.

Congo is expected to play a very tight game, with a five-man defense. The fullbacks will be Wan-Bissaka and Masuaki. In midfield, Sadiki will partner with Moutoussamy and Kayembe, while the Wissa-Bakambu duo will lead the attack.

England vs. Congo, probable lineups
ENGLAND (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Guéhi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
CONGO (5-3-2): Mpasi-Nzau; Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Kapuadi, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Kayembe; Wissa, Bakambu