England take on DR Congo in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup, with another upset in a tournament with upsets possible. Thomas Tuchel will not take the Leopards lightly at the 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 low blocking, but they put some worries to bed against Panama, with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham both on the scoresheet. Bellingham in particular was excellent and Tuchel must find a way to get the ball to his creative hub as early and in as much space as possible against another team that will defend deep.
DR Congo shocked everyone when they drew 1-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to prove their first World Cup appearance after a 52-year absence was not just to make up the numbers. After a narrow 1-0 defeat by Colombia, the Leopards comfortably beat debutants Uzbekistan 3-1, thanks to Yoane Wissa’s second-half brace, to reach their first ever World Cup knockout stage as the highest-placed third-placed nation.
Only Ghana averaged less group possession than DR Congo, so England must solve the puzzle against probably 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 in FIFA World Cup 2026.
England vs DR Congo: Team news
England XI: Pickford; D. Spence, Konsa, Guéhi, N. O’Reilly; E. Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
DR 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 UK, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Turkey.
Abroad? Can’t access your free stream? Unblock 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’re out and about, you might spot your usual England vs DR Congo stream is suddenly unavailable due to geo-restrictions.
Don’t worry, this is exactly where a VPN can help. A virtual private network lets you connect to servers around the world, so you can safely access your usual VM coverage as if you were back at home.
We recommend Norton VPN. Here’s why:
How to watch England vs DR Congo in the USA
American viewers can watch England vs DR Congo on Fox and Telemundo (Spanish communication).
You can watch all World Cup games on Fox, FS1 and Telemundo, which are available on cord cutters such as YouTube TV (free trial), Hulu+Live TV, Sling (selected markets), Fubo or DirecTV.
Those looking for a streaming service instead can watch England vs DR Congo on Fox One (3-day free trial). Telemundo is available via Peacock likewise.
Visiting the US from the UK? You can still watch your WC stream for free thanks Norton VPN (Try for 60 days).
How to watch England vs DR Congo in the UK
UK customers are in luck as they can stream England vs DR Congo free on BBC iPlayer. Live coverage is also available at BBC One TV channel.
You require a TV license and a valid UK postcode for an account (eg SE1 7PB).
Norton VPN can unlock your stream if you are abroad today.
How to watch England vs DR Congo in Australia
England vs DR Congo will be shown for free in Australia on SBS On Demand.
The streaming platform has every game in the tournament for free, making it the perfect place for your World Cup viewing.
Are you traveling for work or on holiday? A VPN that Norton VPN can help unlock your free stream.
How to watch England vs DR Congo in Canada
In Canada, TSN and free channel CTV will broadcast England vs DR Congo.
You can stream live via TSN+ streaming platform, which costs $80 per month or $80 per year.
CTV will require your TV provider login details, but is also available via pay TV streaming platform Dry after if you want an alternative.
Outside of Canada? Use Norton VPN while traveling away from home to unlock your stream.
England vs DR Congo: Match information
When does England vs DR Congo start?
England vs DR Congo starts at 17:00 BST / 12:00 ET Wednesday 1 July. It is at 02:00 AEST Thursday 2 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)
Extenders: 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 Liege), 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 (Castellon), Meshack Elia (Alanyaspor), Gael Kakuta (Larisa), Edo Kayembe (Watford), Nathanael Mbuku (Montpellier), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos), Ngal’ayel Mukau (Lille), Charles Aariol (Espaniol (Espaniland), Nounder Sayol (Espaniland) (Kilmarnock)
Extenders: Cedric Bakambu (Real Betis), Simon Banza (Al Jazira), Fiston Mayele (Pyramids), Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United)
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Scene |
England |
DR Congo |
|---|---|---|
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Group phase |
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 via mobile apps or via your phone’s browser.
You can also stay up to date with all the World Cup highlights on the official social media channels on X/Twitter (@FIFAWorldCup), Instagram (@FIFAWorldCup), TikTok (@FIFAWorldCup) and YouTube (@FIFA).
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