DR Congo have set their sights on winning the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and qualifying for the 2030 World Cup, with national football leader Véron Mosengo-Omba backing coach Sébastien Desabre to deliver the next stage of the Leopards’ progress.
Mosengo-Omba says DR Congo now want to turn the improvements made in recent years into major international achievements, setting the team two ambitious targets for the next four-year cycle.
“ I spoke with coach Desabre, who has been doing a remarkable job for the past four years. Our goal is to win the 2027 AFCON and qualify for the 2030 World Cup ,” said the Congolese official.
The statement represents a clear ambition for a DR Congo side that has made significant progress since Desabre took charge in 2022.
The French coach has overseen a period of encouraging results for the Leopards, including a strong Africa Cup of Nations campaign and the country’s return to the World Cup after more than five decades.
DR Congo went unbeaten in the group stage of the most recent AFCON, recording two wins and a draw to finish second in their group.
Their run eventually ended in the last 16 against Algeria, who secured a 1-0 victory after extra time.
The Leopards remained competitive for much of that match before conceding in the closing stages.
Their progress continued several months later when DR Congo returned to the World Cup for the first time in 52 years.
At the 2026 World Cup, Desabre’s side opened with a 1-1 draw against Portugal before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat by Colombia.
They responded in their next match by beating Uzbekistan 3-1, a result that helped them advance as one of the best third-placed teams.
Their World Cup campaign ultimately ended in the round of 32, where England defeated them 2-1.
Despite that elimination, the tournament provided another indication of the progress made under Desabre and has helped shape the ambitions now being set for the national team.
The immediate challenge is the start of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
Desabre has adopted a broad approach for the September-October international window, selecting two separate groups for competitive and friendly fixtures.
The first group will begin the qualification campaign with a home match against Equatorial Guinea in Kinshasa on 24 September.
DR Congo will then travel to Harare to play Zimbabwe on 28 September in the second matchday of the qualifiers.
A second group has been selected for two friendly matches against Uganda between 2 and 5 October in South Africa.
That group is intended to provide opportunities for several new players to experience international football.
The approach gives Desabre the chance to continue developing the squad while also preparing for the competitive demands of the AFCON qualifiers.
For Mosengo-Omba, however, the long-term objective goes beyond simply qualifying for major tournaments.
DR Congo want to become genuine contenders for the continental title in 2027 before using that progress as a platform to secure another World Cup appearance in 2030.
The Leopards’ recent record has provided encouragement for that ambition.
Their unbeaten group-stage run at the AFCON was followed by a return to the World Cup, where they won a match and advanced beyond the initial group stage.
