Kinshasa, June 2nd, 2026 (CPA). – The international friendly match between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Denmark, scheduled for Wednesday at the Maurice Stadium Dufrasne in Liège, Belgium, will serve as a first full-scale test for the Leopards ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
For the Leopards of the country led by President Félix Tshisekedi, the tournament represents a challenge comprising three crucial hurdles, the outcome of which will be determined at the end of the group stage. The first hurdle awaits the Congolese side on June 17 in Houston, United States, against Portugal national football team in the opening Group K fixture. The second challenge is scheduled for June 24th in Guadalajara, Mexico, against Colombia national football team, while the final group-stage encounter will take place on June 28 in Atlanta, United States, against Uzbekistan national football team.
Although Denmark failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, the Scandinavian side remains a valuable sparring partner for the Leopards due to similarities in playing style with one of the DRC’s future opponents. According to several observers, the choice of Denmark is justified by the opportunity to face a disciplined and tactically demanding European side, characterized by strong physical commitment, much like Portugal, the DRC’s first opponent in the World Cup. The friendly will therefore provide an opportunity to accurately assess the Leopards’ level of preparedness and allow the technical staff led by Sébastien Desabre to fine-tune the squad before the global tournament.
Similarity in playing style
For many analysts, Denmark represents an ideal opponent because of its profile. Indeed, Denmark’s style of play bears similarities to that of Portugal, one of the DRC’s future Group K opponents at the World Cup, making the fixture a useful rehearsal for the Congolese side.
A first-ever meeting between DR Congo and Denmark
The match will mark the first-ever encounter between the DRC and Denmark at senior international level. Historically, the Leopards have rarely faced European teams in friendly matches. According to archives consulted by CPA on Tuesday, Romania remains the only European nation to have met the DRC twice in international friendlies. The first encounter took place on December 24th, 1967, at the Tata Raphaël Stadium in Kinshasa and ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals from Mircea Sasu for Romania and Raoul Kidumu for the Congolese side. The match served as preparation for the 1968 Africa Cup of Nations, which the Leopards eventually won. The second and most recent meeting occurred on May 25th, 2016, in Como, Italy, and also ended in a 1-1 draw. Following this first test, the Leopards will face a second preparatory match against Chile national football team on June 9 in Marbella, Spain. CPA/