The Leopards will face Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe in what is expected to be a competitive group as they begin their bid to reach the 2027 tournament.
The draw sets up a round-robin qualification format in which each team will play home and away fixtures against their group opponents across the campaign.
At the end of the qualifying series, the top two teams in Group E will automatically secure places at the final tournament, which will be staged in East Africa in 2027.
The qualification process will be spread across three international windows, beginning in September 2026 and concluding in March 2027.
For DR Congo, the group presents a balanced challenge, with all three opponents known for their physical and competitive playing styles within African football.
Equatorial Guinea have established themselves in recent years as a difficult opponent in continental competitions, while Sierra Leone continue to build a young and ambitious squad. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, bring experience and a strong history of competitive performances in AFCON qualifying campaigns.
The CAF draw, held in Cairo, placed 48 nations into structured qualifying groups as part of the expanded qualification format for the tournament.
Teams will be required to maintain consistency across both home and away matches, with no margin for error in a short and tightly scheduled qualification cycle.
The AFCON 2027 qualification system continues to reward stability and depth, with two automatic qualification spots available from each group, increasing the importance of every match in the campaign.
DR Congo will now turn attention to preparing for the opening fixtures in September 2026 as they aim to secure early points and position themselves strongly in the group standings.
With qualification spanning nearly seven months of international football, Group E is expected to remain open and competitive until the final matchdays in March 2027
