England face DR Congo in the World Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — noon ET, 5pm in the United Kingdom — with Thomas Tuchel’s side entering as heavy favorites and Congo reaching the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time in their history.
Harry Kane has 11 World Cup goals to his name, making him England’s all-time top scorer at the tournament. The Bayern Munich forward scored twice in the 4-2 win over Croatia and added a header against Panama. He arrives in Atlanta with his club form behind him and a chance at a tournament that has persistently eluded English football.
England’s Group Stage in Numbers
England topped Group L with seven points from three games: a 4-2 win over Croatia to open, a 0-0 draw with Ghana in the middle, and a 2-0 win over Panama to close. The Croatia result was the most impressive — four goals, including Kane’s brace, with a clean sheet in the second half after going into it level.
Tuchel’s team hasn’t been perfect. The goalless draw with Ghana showed defensive vulnerabilities in wide areas that better teams will test. But the system looks coherent and Kane has a supporting cast in better form than at previous tournaments.
Congo’s Historic Run and Yoane Wissa
DR Congo reached the knockout round as third in Group K, finishing on five points after drawing 1-1 with Portugal, losing 1-0 to Colombia, and beating Uzbekistan 3-1. The Uzbekistan win, which secured their progress, was built around Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa, who scored three goals across the group stage and is Congo’s most dangerous attacking threat.
This is the furthest the Democratic Republic of Congo has ever gone in a World Cup. They have nothing to lose in Atlanta and a historical achievement already secured whatever happens Wednesday. That kind of freedom can be dangerous for a side expected to cruise through.
The Stakes and the Route Ahead
The winner of England vs Congo plays the winner of Belgium vs Senegal in the Round of 16. Belgium have looked strong in this tournament, and a potential England-Belgium quarterfinal path would be one of the more compelling ties in the knockout bracket. But first: Congo must be handled cleanly.
England fans have watched too many tournaments where a team entered the knockout stage as a favorite and left as a memory. Tuchel knows this. Kane knows this. The squad knows this.
England kick off at noon ET Wednesday in Atlanta — against a team playing in its first knockout game, with nothing to lose and Yoane Wissa to cause problems.
FYI (keeping you in the loop)
How many World Cup goals has Harry Kane scored?
Harry Kane has scored 11 goals in World Cup matches as of the 2026 tournament, including two against Croatia and one against Panama in the group stage. He is England’s all-time record scorer at the World Cup. Kane also holds the record as the top scorer at the 2018 World Cup with six goals.
References
Sky Sports. (2026). England’s World Cup 2026 fixtures, schedule and tournament route to final. Published June 2026.
Olympics.com. (2026). FIFA World Cup 2026: How to watch England vs DR Congo in the round of 32. Published June 2026.
England Football. (2026). England to play DR Congo in FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage. Published June 27, 2026.
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