The first competitive meeting between England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will decide who advances to a last-16 encounter with Mexico. The match, a round-of-32 tie at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, marks the first time the Congolese have progressed beyond the group stage at a men’s World Cup, 52 years after their only previous appearance as Zaire. England, champions in 1966, enter the knockout phase as group winners but with a sense of unfinished business after a campaign that has yet to produce a commanding performance.

England topped Group L with seven points, opening with a 4-2 victory over Croatia before a goalless draw against Ghana and a 2-0 win against Panama. Harry Kane has scored three of the team’s five goals in the tournament, taking his all-time World Cup tally to 11 and making him England’s record scorer at the finals. Thomas Tuchel’s side has kept two clean sheets but has struggled to break down compact defences, a pattern that was evident in the stalemate with Ghana and in a workmanlike display against Panama. Viewed from London, the expectation is that the knockout stage will demand a sharper cutting edge, with Kane likely to be supported by Jude Bellingham and either Bukayo Saka or Noni Madueke in the attacking line.

DR Congo’s path to the last 32 was forged in a demanding Group K. Sébastien Desabre’s team held Portugal to a 1-1 draw, lost narrowly to Colombia by a single goal, and then overturned an early deficit to beat Uzbekistan 3-1, securing progress as one of the best third-placed sides. The Leopards have not lost an official match by more than one goal since March 2022, a statistic that underscores their defensive organisation. Yoane Wissa, who plays his club football at Newcastle United, has scored three of the team’s four goals in the tournament, and he is one of six squad members employed by English clubs, a detail that has not gone unnoticed in the British media.

The tactical contrast is clear. England are expected to dominate possession and probe a deep-lying Congolese block, while DR Congo will look to absorb pressure and strike on the counter through Wissa and Cédric Bakambu. The African side’s compact shape and physical intensity have troubled more fancied opponents, and the absence of any real pressure on a team already celebrating its best-ever World Cup run could make them a dangerous opponent. In Kinshasa, the mood is one of pride and defiance; in London, the focus is on whether Tuchel’s side can finally produce a performance that matches its talent.

The winner will face Mexico in the round of 16, after the co-hosts eliminated Ecuador 2-0. For England, the prize is a chance to build momentum in a half of the draw that also features Brazil and France; for DR Congo, it is an opportunity to become only the fifth African nation to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup.