England are through to the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup — and their reward is a tie against DR Congo, confirmed live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It's the kind of fixture that looks comfortable on paper and historically isn't. England fans know this. England fans have always known this.
BBC Sport has confirmed England vs DR Congo will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer as part of the full last-32 schedule — giving the nation its traditional sofa-and-a-cushion setup for knockout football. The tie is locked in: England, last-32, DR Congo, June 28.
England enter as the expected favourites, and the pressure that comes with that label follows them everywhere.
DR Congo are not here to make up the numbers. They qualified for the 2026 World Cup as one of Africa's representatives and are a side England cannot afford to sleepwalk past. The last 32 is exactly where tournaments end for teams who treat the draw as a formality. England have form in that department — and not the good kind.
England's group-stage performances will shape how much confidence they carry into this. The last-32 stage at a 48-team World Cup is new territory — more teams, more games, more chances for an upset to define the whole tournament. A clean, controlled performance against DR Congo would do more than just advance them: it would set a tone.
The squad has the quality to win this comfortably. Whether they produce it is a different question entirely — and one that won't be answered until they're actually on the pitch.
England vs DR Congo, live on BBC One. The nation will be watching. It always is.
England are through to the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup — and their reward is a tie against DR Congo, confirmed live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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BBC Sport — Football
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