The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda are set to face each other in a friendly match at the FBN Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday, October 1, 2026. The match, which will be played behind closed doors, is expected to be an exciting encounter between two teams that have had a strong start to their respective qualifying campaigns for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. According to the Congolese Football Federation (Fecofa), the match will provide an opportunity for both teams to test their skills against each other.
The DRC, led by coach Sebastien Desabre, has had a impressive start to their qualifying campaign, winning their first two matches against Equatorial Guinea (2-0) and Zimbabwe (2-1). The team has undergone some changes, with several players, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Arthur Masuaku, and Axel Tuanzebe, being released from the squad. They will be replaced by new players, including Mathieu Epolo, Dimitri Bertaud, and Gédéon Kalulu, who will be tested in the friendly match against Uganda.
Uganda, on the other hand, has also had a strong start to their qualifying campaign, holding Tunisia to a 1-1 draw and beating Libya 1-0 in their first two matches. The team will be looking to build on their momentum and test their skills against the DRC. The friendly match will provide an opportunity for both teams to assess their strengths and weaknesses ahead of their upcoming qualifying matches.
A total of 22 players from the DRC were present at the official pre-match training session, with defender Henock Inonga joining the squad on Wednesday evening and goalkeeper Nathan Ndibu arriving on Thursday morning. The DRC squad includes a mix of experienced and new players, with the likes of Chancel Mbemba, Aaron Tshibola, and Théo Bongonda expected to feature in the match.
The friendly match against Uganda will be the first of two matches for the DRC in South Africa. The two teams will also face each other in a second friendly match on October 5, 2026. The matches will provide an opportunity for the DRC to fine-tune their preparations for their upcoming qualifying matches and for coach Desabre to assess his team's performance.
The DRC and Uganda have a history of competing against each other, and the friendly matches will provide an opportunity for both teams to renew their rivalry. The matches will also be an opportunity for the teams to test their skills against each other and prepare for their respective qualifying campaigns.
The friendly match will be played at the FBN Stadium in Johannesburg, which has hosted several high-profile football matches in the past. The match will be an exciting encounter between two teams that are looking to make a strong impression in their respective qualifying campaigns.
Key points
- The DRC and Uganda will face each other in a closed-door friendly match at Johannesburg's FBN Stadium on Friday, October 1, 2026.
- The match will provide an opportunity for both teams to test their skills against each other and prepare for their respective qualifying campaigns for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
- The DRC has undergone some changes to their squad, with several new players being called up for the friendly match against Uganda.
