By ifeoma Onyekachi

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have declared Wednesday a nationwide public holiday following the national football team’s historic qualification for the FIFA World Cup  their first appearance at the tournament in over five decades.

The Congolese national team, popularly known as the Leopards, secured their place at the World Cup after a dramatic 1–0 extra-time victory over Jamaica in a playoff match on Tuesday. The decisive goal came in the 100th minute from defender Axel Tuanzebe, sparking celebrations across the country.

In a statement, the country’s Ministry of Labour and Employment described the victory as “historic” and announced the public holiday to allow citizens to celebrate “in unity, fervour and national pride.”

The Central African nation has only participated in the World Cup once before  in 1974 when the country competed under the name Zaire. Their return to the global tournament marks a significant moment in the country’s football history.

The playoff match itself was tense and closely contested, with both teams struggling to break the deadlock during regular time before Tuanzebe’s extra-time strike secured qualification for the Leopards.

Celebrations erupted in the capital city, Kinshasa, shortly after the match ended just before 1:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Fans flooded the streets, waving flags, singing, and celebrating the historic achievement.

One supporter told the BBC that the victory brought joy despite the country’s ongoing challenges, including conflict in the eastern region. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has faced decades of instability and renewed fighting in recent years, particularly involving the M23 rebel group in the eastern part of the country.

Despite political tensions in the region, neighbouring Rwanda publicly congratulated DR Congo on the qualification, with government officials praising the Leopards for representing Africa on the global stage.

At the upcoming World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, DR Congo will face a tough group that includes Portugal, led by football star Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as Colombia and Uzbekistan.

DR Congo is one of ten African nations to qualify for the expanded World Cup tournament, marking a strong representation for the continent at this year’s global football showpiece.

The Leopards are scheduled to play their first match against Portugal in Houston on June 17.