Delirious football fans took to the soaked streets of Kinshasa and danced into the night after the Democratic Republic of Congo qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years.
Defender Axel Tuanzebe scored the decisive goal in extra time, leading the Leopards to a 1-0 victory over Jamaica in an intercontinental playoff held in Guadalajara on Tuesday.
The central African side will join Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan in Group K at the World Cup finals in North America this summer.
The DRC last played at a World Cup in 1974, competing as Zaire, when the team was defeated by Scotland, Yugoslavia, and Brazil.
Fans erupted in joy across the capital. “We gave it our all, right here in the rain!” shouted Beni Ile, draped in a soaked DRC flag. “We won’t be working on Wednesday! It’s going to be a national holiday. We’re going to celebrate and party all night long. We’ve been waiting 50 years for this. We’re staying out until dawn.”
In the city of 17 million people, the final whistle in Guadalajara was met with banging pots, car horns, and whistles. Hundreds of fans had gathered in central squares hours before the match, many sporting the sky-blue jersey of the national team.
The qualification campaign was dramatic, with the Leopards eliminating African powerhouses Nigeria and Cameroon on their way to the playoff.
For a nation scarred by decades of conflict and the resurgence of the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group, the victory brought a rare moment of unity.
“It’s truly exceptional, we are very proud of the Leopards today for this feat,” said Merou, whose hometown was affected by conflict. “This victory will unify the Congo. We hope the whole country will benefit from it.”
Another jubilant supporter, Maclain, added: “We deserve a moment of happiness, away from the gunfire. We need to come together too.”
