Congo Secures Historic Draw Against Portugal in World Cup 2026 Opener

The portugal-to-a-draw-in-world-cup-2026-opener/">Democratic Republic of Congo achieved a historic milestone by drawing 1-1 with Portugal in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday evening.

This match marked Congo’s first appearance in the current tournament, where they faced Portugal, with João Neves putting the Portuguese team ahead before Yohan Wissa equalized for Congo.

With this draw, the Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first-ever point in World Cup history, a significant achievement following a 52-year absence from the tournament.

Congo Celebrates First Historic Point in World Cup

This draw grants the Democratic Republic of Congo their first official point in World Cup participation, starting their journey in the 2026 edition on a high note that reflects the team’s development.

The Congolese team is now preparing to face Colombia in their next match, while Portugal will take on Uzbekistan within the same group, with both teams currently tied at the top of the standings with one point each.

Wissa Makes History Twice for Congo

Yohan Wissa stole the spotlight by scoring a historic goal against Portugal, becoming the first Congolese player to score in a World Cup match, marking his nation’s inaugural goal in the tournament’s history.

Wissa’s achievement goes beyond this milestone; he also entered an exclusive group of players as he became the first to score his country’s opening goal in a World Cup while playing in the English Premier League since Australia’s Tim Cahill did so in 2006.

Additionally, Wissa solidified his legacy as he is now the only player in Congolese history to score his nation’s first goal in both the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup, reinforcing his status as one of the standout stars of his generation.