DR Congo national team head coach Sebastien Desabre has named his 25-man squad ahead of next’s month 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Senegal and Togo.
On Monday, the Congolese Federation of Football Association (FECOFA) unveiled Desabre’s list of 25 players including three players who were left out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast in attacking midfielder Chadrack Akolo, Timothy Fayulu and Esdras Kabamba.
In addition, Desabre has handed debut call-ups to three new players that include England-bred central defender Axel Tuanzebe of Ipswich Town who recently won promotion into Premier League, the very promising Noah Sadiki of Genk as well as Samuel Essende of Boavista Vizela.
The Leopards take on Senegal on June 6 at the Abdoulaye Wade stadium in Dakar before hosting the Sparrow Hawks of Togo three days later at the Pentecost Martyrs Stadium in the DRC capital Kinshasa.
DR Congo currently sit third in Group E with three points after two matches with Senegal and Sudan leading the standings with 4 points each in the qualifiers for the World Cup to co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the USA in 2026.
Below is the list of 25 Leopards summoned;
Dimitri Bertaud (Montpellier/D1 France)
– Esdras Kabamba (Bravo de Marquis/ D1 Angola)
– Timothy Fayulu (Sion/D2 Switzerland)
Defenders
– Chancel Mbemba (Marseille/D1 France)
– Axel Tuanzebe (Ipswich Town/D1 England)
– Gédéon Kalulu (Lorient/ D1 France)
– Arthur Masuaku (Besiktas/D1 Turkey)
– Joris Kayembe (Genk/ D1 Belgium)
– Henock Inonga (Simba/ D1 Tanzania)
– Dylan Batubinsika (Saint Etienne/D2 France)
– Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian/D1 Scotland)
Midfielders
– Charles Pickel (Cremonese/D2 Italy)
– Aaron Tshibola (Hatta/D1 United Arab Emirates)
– Edo Kayembe (Watford/D2 England)
– Samuel Moutoussamy (Nantes/D1 France)
– Gradi Diangana (West Bromwich Albion/D2 England)
– Noah Sadiki (Genk/D1 Belgium)
– Gaël Kakuta (Amiens/D2 France)
– Chadrack Akolo (Saint Gallen/D1 Switzerland)
– Théo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow/D1 Russia)
– Meschack Elia (Young Boys/D1 Switzerland)
Forwards
– Yoane Wissa (Brentford/D1 England)
– Simon Banza (Braga/D1 Portugal)
– Fiston Mayele (Pyramids FC/D1 Egypt)
– Samuel Essende (Vizela/D1 Portugal)
