England have watched two of Europe’s heavyweights pack their bags and go home. They have no intention of joining them.
Germany and the Netherlands โ two of the sport’s most storied nations โ both fell on penalties in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, beaten by Paraguay and Morocco respectively.
The shockwaves have reordered expectations across the tournament, and England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel wants his squad to feel the weight of that lesson before they face the Democratic Republic of Congo in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday, July 2, 2026.
England enter the match as heavy favourites. They are chasing their first major international trophy in 60 years โ a wait that has defined and haunted English football since the 1966 World Cup.
Tuchel, the German tactician who took charge of the England national team in early 2024, acknowledged the favourites tag squarely but refused to let it become a comfort blanket.
“I feel it is a privilege to be in these situations. I think we can just accept it; we are the favourites,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
But he added a sharp qualifier: “The games so far in the round of 32 speak a very clear language: it’s narrow, narrow margins.”
England’s firepower centres on two globally recognised talents.
Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder who has become one of the world’s best players in his early twenties, and captain Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich striker and England’s all-time record goalscorer, are both expected to lead the attack.
The absence of defender Reece James through injury is a concern, but the squad’s depth gives Tuchel options.
DR Congo Arrive With Nothing to Lose and a Squad Built Across Two Continents
Congo’s journey to this stage surprised many. Their 26-man squad is one of the most internationally assembled in the tournament โ 20 of the players were born outside the country, the majority in France.
Among them is Brentford forward Yoane Wissa, a familiar face in the English Premier League. Defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka was born in London and represented England up to under-21 level.
Axel Tuanzebe also played for England youth teams before switching international allegiance.
DR Congo head coach Sรฉbastien Desabre, a Frenchman with extensive African coaching experience, was measured and deliberate in his assessment on Tuesday.
“Our World Cup is already a success relative to our goals,” he said. “The pressure is on the England team.”
It is a classic underdog framing โ and given what happened to Germany and the Netherlands, nobody in the England camp will dismiss it.
USA vs Bosnia Draws 30 Million Viewers as Host Nation Chases History
Across the Atlantic, Wednesday carries equal or greater significance for the United States.
The US Men’s National Team faces Bosnia-Herzegovina in the San Francisco Bay Area in what amounts to the most consequential match in American football history.
Up to 30 million Americans are expected to watch, a number that would set a new benchmark for football viewership in the country.
The USA’s last knockout-stage win at a FIFA World Cup came almost a quarter of a century ago. Midfielder Gio Reyna captured the mood of the squad in remarkably clear terms.
“Everyone knows in the back of our minds what this could do for this country. We feel the country rallying around us. We see the momentum it’s bringing to the sport in this country, just through the group stage. But we also understand if we make a nice run in this tournament, what it could really do for the sport.”
Elsewhere in the tournament, Kylian Mbappe delivered a stunning performance as France beat Sweden 3-0 on Tuesday, with the Real Madrid forward scoring twice to bring his total in the competition to six goals.
In a moment of collective solidarity, the French squad ran to embrace coach Didier Deschamps after one of the goals, following the recent death of his mother.
“I think that reflects the spirit of this group โ it’s part of our DNA. We are all together,” Mbappe said. “We know the coach has been through a difficult experience; unfortunately, everyone goes through that at some point, and it’s very hard.”
Norway, meanwhile, advanced to the last 16 for the first time in their history, with Erling Haaland scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast. Belgium โ with veterans Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku still in the squad โ face Senegal in Seattle.
