Sports
DR Congo scores first World Cup goal and point, leaving only two teams in the zero-goal zero-point club
DR Congo drew 1-1 with Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, earning their first-ever World Cup goal and point. They exit the list of teams that have appeared at a World Cup without scoring or earning a point — a list now containing only China and Indonesia.
- DR Congo previously appeared at the 1974 World Cup under the name Zaire, losing all three matches with 0 goals scored and 14 conceded. Fifty-two years later, they have rewritten that history.
- China's sole World Cup appearance came in 2002, losing all three group-stage matches, scoring 0 and conceding 9 goals.
- Indonesia competed at the 1938 World Cup as the Dutch East Indies under a single-elimination format, losing 0-6 to Hungary in their only match.
On June 18, 2026, in a World Cup Group K opener, DR Congo faced European powerhouse Portugal. Against expectations, the African side held Portugal to a 1-1 draw, achieving two historic firsts: a World Cup goal and a World Cup point.
The last time DR Congo appeared on football's biggest stage was 1974, competing as Zaire. That campaign ended with three defeats, 0 goals scored and 14 conceded — including a 0-9 loss to Yugoslavia that remains one of the largest margins in World Cup history. Fifty-two years later, the Leopards have finally rewritten their World Cup story.
With DR Congo's breakthrough, the "zero-goal zero-point club" shrinks to two members. China's men's team made their only World Cup appearance in 2002, losing to Costa Rica, Brazil and Turkey without scoring. Indonesia's footprint is even older — competing as the Dutch East Indies at the 1938 tournament in France, they played a single match, losing 0-6 to Hungary.
Behind this statistical footnote lies a snapshot of uneven football development worldwide. African teams have progressed from being group-stage underdogs in the 1970s to holding European heavyweights to draws today — the product of decades of investment and growth. For nations still waiting for their next World Cup opportunity, DR Congo's story offers a reference point: records exist to be broken.