England will face the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, with another surprise in a tournament of possible surprises. Thomas Tuchel will not take Leopards lightly at Atlanta Stadium.
The Three Lions topped Group L with two wins and a draw. After beating Croatia 4-2, they looked out of sorts against Ghana’s bottom block, but allayed some concerns against Panama, with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham scoring. Bellingham in particular was excellent and Tuchel must find a way to get the ball to his creative axis as quickly as possible and in as much space as possible against another team that will defend deep.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo surprised everyone when they drew 1-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to show that their first World Cup appearance after a 52-year absence was not just about making up the numbers. After a narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia, the Leopards comfortably beat debutants Uzbekistan 3-1, thanks to Yoane Wissa’s second-half double, to reach their first World Cup knockout stage as the third-highest-placed nation.
Only Ghana averaged less possession in the group stage than the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so England must solve the riddle against what is arguably their biggest weakness: breaking down a rigid defence.
So, read on as we show you exactly how to watch England vs DR Congo for free from anywhere at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England vs DR Congo: Team News
England XI: Pickford; D. Spence, Konsa, Guéhi, N. O’Reilly; E. Anderson, rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
Democratic Republic of the Congo XI: L. Mpasi; A. Masuaku, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Wan-Bissaka; N. Sadiki, Moutoussamy, N. Mukau; Cipenga, Wissa, Mbuku.
How to watch England vs DR Congo for free
England vs DR Congo is available to watch for free in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Türkiye.
Abroad? Can’t access your free stream? Unlock your free World Cup stream with Norton VPN – more on that below.
Use a VPN to watch England vs DR Congo live streams
It’s the World Cup and if you travel you may discover your usual England vs DR Congo Streaming is suddenly unavailable due to geographic restrictions.
Don’t worry, that’s exactly where a VPN can help you. A virtual private network allows you to connect to servers around the world so you can securely access your regular World Cup coverage as if you were at home.
we recommend Norton VPN. Here’s why:
How to watch England v DR Congo in the US
American viewers can watch England vs DR Congo in Fox and telemundo (Communications in Spanish).
You can watch all the World Cup matches on Fox, FS1 and Telemundo, which are available on cable cutters like YouTube TV (free trial), Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), fubo either DirectTV.
Those looking for a streaming service can watch England vs DR Congo on fox one (3-day free trial). Telemundo is available through Peacock also.
Visiting the US from the UK? You can still watch your World Cup stream for free thanks to Norton VPN (try it for 60 days).
How to watch England v DR Congo in the UK
UK customers are in luck because they can stream England vs DR Congo free in BBC iPlayer. Live coverage is also available on the BBC one Television channel.
You need a TV license and a valid UK postcode for an account (e.g. SE1 7PB).
Norton VPN You can unblock your stream if you are abroad today.
How to watch England v DR Congo in Australia
England vs DR Congo will be shown for free in Australia on SBS on demand.
The streaming platform has all the tournament games for free, making it the perfect place to watch the World Cup.
Are you traveling for work or vacation? A VPN like Norton VPN can help you unlock your free streaming.
How to watch England v DR Congo in Canada
In Canada, TSN and open channel CTV will be transmitting England vs DR Congo.
You can broadcast live through the TSN+ streaming platform, which costs CA$8 per month or CA$80 per year.
CTV will require login details from your TV provider, but is also available through the Pay TV streaming platform Ask if you want an alternative.
Outside Canada? Wear Norton VPN while traveling away from home to unblock your stream.
England vs DR Congo: match information
What time does England vs DR Congo start?
England vs DR Congo starts at 5pm BST / 12pm ET on Wednesday 1st July. It’s 2am AEST on Thursday 2nd July in Australia.
What are the squads for England vs DR Congo?
England
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
DR Congo
Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liège), Timothy Fayulu (Noah), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre)
Defenders: Dylan Batubinsika (Larisa), Gedoon Kalulu (Aris Limassol), Steve Kapuadi (Widzew Lodz), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk), Arthur Masuaku (Racing Lens), Chancel Mbemba (Lille), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United)
Midfielders: Theo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow), Brian Cipenga (Castellón), Meshack Elia (Alanyaspor), Gael Kakuta (Larisa), Edo Kayembe (Watford), Nathanael Mbuku (Montpellier), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos), Ngal’ayel Mukau (Lille), Charles Pickel (Espanyol), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland), Aaron Tshibola (Kilmarnock)
Forwards: Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis), Simon Banza (Al Jazira), Fiston Mayele (Pirámides), Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United)
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Scenery |
England |
DR Congo |
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group stage |
Group L: 1st, 7 points |
Group K: 3rd, 4 points |
Can I watch England vs DR Congo on my mobile?
Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or through the browser on your phone.
You can also stay up to date with all the key World Cup moments on the official social media channels on X/Twitter (@FIFAWorldCup), Instagram (@FIFAWorldCup), TikTok (@FIFAWorldCup) and YouTube (@FIFA).
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