DRC marks public holiday to celebrate a 'unifying' World Cup qualification

The Congolese government has declared Wednesday, April 1, 2026 a public holiday after the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the Americas on Tuesday.

"The Minister of Employment and Labour informs the nation that Wednesday, April 1, 2026, is declared a paid holiday throughout the entire national territory," an official communication by Ferdinand Massamba wa Massamba, the Congolese labour minister, said on Wednesday.

"This exceptional decision reflects the will of Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Republic, Head of State, and of the Government of the Republic, led by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, to allow the Congolese people to celebrate in unity, fervour, and national pride," the statement added.

On Tuesday, delirious football fans took to the soaked streets of the capital, Kinshasa, and danced into the night in the rain after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reached the World Cup for the first time in 52 years.

'Gave it our all'

Defender Axel Tuanzebe, who plays in the Premier League for Burnley, was the hero with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Jamaica after extra time in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico on Tuesday.

The central African nation will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K at the finals in North America this summer.

At the 1974 finals in West Germany, the team competed as Zaire and were beaten by Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil.

"We gave it our all, right here in the rain!" shouted Beni Ile, a fan in Kinshasa whose shoulders were draped in a soaked DRC flag. "We've been waiting 50 years for this. We're staying out until dawn," he added.

Nationwide celebrations

It was a scene replicated across the city of 17 million people, where the final whistle in Guadalajara was greeted by a cacophony of banging pots, car horns, and whistles.

The win completed a dramatic qualification campaign for the team nicknamed the Leopards, who eliminated African football giants Nigeria and Cameroon on their way to Tuesday's playoff.

As early as the morning of the big match, many residents of the DRC capital were already sporting the sky-blue jersey of their beloved national side.

By evening several hundred fans had gathered in a square in the city centre in anticipation to watch the game.

'Deserve a moment of happiness'

Even as the rain bucketed down, the conclusion of the match after 120 nervy minutes was met with an outpouring of national pride and relief.

"It's truly exceptional, we are very proud of the Leopards today for this feat," said Merou, who comes from Goma, a major city in eastern DRC that fell into M23 rebel group's hands in January 2025.

"This victory will unify the DR Congo. We hope the whole country will benefit from it," he added, standing in the pouring rain.

Another overjoyed supporter, Maclain, said: "We deserve a moment of happiness. We need to come together too."