Fans celebrated the Democratic Republic of Congo's qualification for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974, under torrential rains. The Congolese national team, nicknamed the Leopards, secured their spot in the continental playoffs with a 1-0 victory over Jamaica after extra time on Tuesday in Guadalajara, Mexico. In the neighborhoods of Kinshasa, the urban area home to 17 million people, the streets overflowed with fans immediately after the final whistle, amid the clamor of banging pots, car horns, and alarm sirens. "We soaked our shirts under the rain!" shouted Beni Eli, one of the fans carrying his drenched national flag over his shoulders. He continued, expressing his ecstatic joy: "Tomorrow, Wednesday, we won't go to work—it's a national holiday. We'll celebrate and enjoy all night because we've waited for this moment for 50 years. We'll stay here until the early morning hours!" Since Tuesday morning, many residents of the capital donned their national team's sky-blue jersey, absent from the World Cup for 52 years. That evening, hundreds gathered in a square on the edge of June 30 Avenue in the city center. Just as the players under French coach Sébastien Desabre did, the fans showed patience during a match marked by a slow pace and dominated by the Leopards. As the minutes ticked by in tense silence, interrupted only by rare bursts of excitement when the referee disallowed two Leopard goals for offside, the rain began to pour. This did not dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of fans who were certain of their team's qualification. Some sat on the ground under the downpour, while others held plastic tables over their heads, continuing to watch the rain-soaked screens despite broadcast interruptions.
A goal from a corner kick scored by Axel Tuanzebe, Burnley's English defender, in the 100th minute sealed a historic second qualification. "Fimbo! Fimbo!" (meaning "whip," synonymous with "punishment") chanted the crowds, sheltering under umbrellas, eagerly awaiting the 120th minute to end the match. The final whistle blew, marking a rare moment of national unity in a country torn by 30 years of conflict and the resurgence of the M23 armed movement, which seized vast eastern territories with Rwandan army support. "It's extraordinary; we're so proud of the Leopards today for this achievement," said Miro from Goma, the main city in eastern DR Congo that fell to M23 in January 2025. He added under the heavy rain: "This victory will unite Congo because the Leopards represent the one moment when the Congolese people feel true belonging, and we hope the whole country benefits from it." In nearby streets, cars raced on the rain-slicked asphalt, Congolese flags fluttered from windows, and car horns blared. Maklein, one of the female fans, said: "We deserve a moment of joy away from the sound of bullets; we also need to come together." DR Congo, which eliminated African giants Cameroon and Nigeria in the qualifiers, becomes the 11th team from the continent in the first 48-team World Cup edition. The Leopards join Group H alongside Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan in the tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
