Check out our best bets for England vs DR Congo, featuring a 10/1 bet builder and a Three Lions defender to be carded.
England vs DR Congo BettingSee All Odds
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England and DR Congo meet in Atlanta today in a Round of 32 knockout tie, with Thomas Tuchel’s side looking to avoid one of the tournament’s major upsets. The Three Lions topped Group L after wins over Croatia and Panama either side of a draw with Ghana, but Tuchel has warned against complacency in a knockout round that has already produced surprise results.
DR Congo, meanwhile, have already delivered one of the stories of the tournament. Sébastien Desabre’s side reached the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams, coming from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 after previously holding Portugal to a draw in Group K.
This is a huge occasion for DR Congo, who are back at the World Cup for the first time since 1974 and now face England in a historic knockout tie. England will be clear favourites, but DR Congo’s organisation, physicality and counterattacking threat through Yoane Wissa and Cédric Bakambu mean Tuchel’s side may need patience as well as quality.
Check out our best bets for the match, featuring England to win to nil, our 10/1 Bet Builder Tip and Ezri Konsa to commit 2+ fouls.
England vs DR Congo Best Bet
Recommended Bet: England win to nil
Best Odds: 4/5 (Various)
Advised Stake: 2pts
England win to nil looks the strongest betting angle for England vs DR Congo, with the expected match script pointing towards long spells of England possession and limited attacking volume for the underdogs.
England have kept four clean sheets in their last five matches and have conceded in only five of their last 20 games.
This game should follow a similar pattern to England’s matches against Ghana and Panama. Tuchel’s side are likely to dominate the ball, push DR Congo back and rely on Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford to break down a compact defensive block. DR Congo, by contrast, should look to stay organised and attack quickly through Wissa and Bakambu when they regain possession.
DR Congo deserve respect after holding Portugal and coming from behind to beat Uzbekistan, but their most likely route is still through transition moments rather than sustained pressure. If England control rest defence properly and avoid cheap turnovers, they should be well placed to win without conceding.
At 4/5, the odds imply an approximate 56% chance of England winning to nil. Given England’s recent clean-sheet record, DR Congo’s likely counterattacking approach and the expected possession split, the price looks strong enough to justify a confident 2pt stake.
Who is favourite to win England vs DR Congo?
England are favourites at 1/3, implying an approximate 75% chance of victory. The draw is priced at 4/1, while DR Congo are 12/1 outsiders.
The market reflects England’s stronger squad depth, group-winning campaign and superior knockout experience. DR Congo have already exceeded expectations by reaching this stage, and their disciplined shape should make them competitive, but they may need to produce the best performance in their history to knock out Tuchel’s side.
England vs DR Congo Bet Builder Tip
Our Bet Builder Tip for England vs DR Congo is:
- Yoane Wissa to commit 2+ fouls
- Yoane Wissa to have 2+ shots
- Declan Rice to have 2+ shots
- Nico O’Reilly to have 1+ shot
Leg 1: Yoane Wissa to commit 2+ fouls
Wissa to commit two or more fouls targets the expected match script, with DR Congo likely to spend long spells without the ball and ask their forwards to press England’s build-up.
Wissa committed three fouls against Portugal in a similar game state, and England should present comparable problems if they dominate possession through Marc Guéhi, Elliot Anderson and Ezri Konsa. Anderson’s recent fouls-won numbers read 4, 4, 2, 6, 2, 4, 2, 1, 1 and 1, while Konsa’s sequence reads 3, 2, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 0, 2, 5 and 3.
Guéhi has also drawn contact in some of England’s build-up phases, with recent fouls-won returns of 2, 7, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 and 2. If Wissa is tasked with pressing centre-backs, blocking passes into midfield and stopping England from progressing cleanly, he has a clear route to multiple fouls.
Leg 2: Yoane Wissa to have 2+ shots
Wissa to register at least two shots adds DR Congo’s main attacking outlet to the Bet Builder. He has produced two or more shots in six of his last nine tournament appearances for DR Congo, showing he can still reach this line even when his side are underdogs.
The match state should keep him central to DR Congo’s attacking plan. England are expected to control territory, but that also means DR Congo’s best chances should come quickly in transition, with Wissa asked to run the channels, attack space behind the full-backs and provide a direct threat whenever they break.
Leg 3: Declan Rice to have 2+ shots
Rice to have two or more shots is the England midfield volume angle. His recent England shot sequence reads 3, 1, 7, 2, 0, 0, 1, 7, 1, 1, 1, 0 and 2, showing that he can clear this line when England dominate territory and he is encouraged to step forward.
That role should be important here. With Anderson likely to provide the deeper midfield security, Rice can push into more advanced zones, support second balls around the box and take up shooting positions when DR Congo defend deep.
The Ghana match offers a useful comparison, with Rice recording three shots in a similar game script. If DR Congo sit compact and England circulate the ball patiently, Rice should have opportunities from cut-backs, set-piece knockdowns and efforts from the edge of the area.
Leg 4: Nico O’Reilly to have 1+ shot
O’Reilly to have at least one shot rounds out the Bet Builder by targeting England’s left-sided attacking support. His England shot record reads 1, 2, 2, 1, 0 and 2, meaning he has registered at least one attempt in five of his six appearances.
O’Reilly has the licence to go forward from the left, can arrive late when England overload wide areas and also carries set-piece threat. Against a DR Congo side likely to defend deep, England’s full-backs should have opportunities to push high and contribute in the final third.
At the time of writing, the Bet Builder pays a best price of 10/1 with BetMGM.
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England vs DR Congo Side Market Bet
Recommended Bet: Ezri Konsa to commit 2+ fouls
Best Odds: 12/5 (BetVictor)
Advised Stake: 1pt
Alternative Bet: Ezri Konsa to be carded
Best Odds: 15/2 (Paddy Power)
Advised Stake: 0.5pts
Ezri Konsa to commit two or more fouls is an appealing side-market bet for England vs DR Congo, with the defender likely to be involved in stopping counterattacks if Tuchel’s side dominate possession as expected.
Konsa’s recent foul record reads 3, 2, 1, 1, 0 and 1, so he has cleared this line in two of his last six. That hit rate alone would not make him an obvious selection, but the match-up gives the bet a stronger tactical route than the raw numbers suggest.
DR Congo’s main threat should come through transition moments involving Wissa and Bakambu. Wissa has won fouls totals of 3, 1, 3 and 4 across his recent DR Congo appearances, while Bakambu’s recent fouls-won sequence reads 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1 and 1. If England push high and leave space behind the midfield, Konsa may be asked to step out, cover channels and stop breaks before they develop.
The recent centre-back profile against DR Congo also supports the angle. Khusanov committed three fouls and was booked, Lucumí committed one foul and was carded, while Araújo committed a foul and was also shown a card for Portugal. At least one centre-back has been booked in every DR Congo match at this World Cup, which brings Konsa’s 15/2 card price into the conversation as a smaller-stake add-on.
England vs DR Congo Predicted Lineups
England predicted XI:
Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Guéhi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
DR Congo predicted XI:
Mpasi; Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Kapuadi; Wan-Bissaka, Sadiki, Mukau, Moutoussamy, Masuaku; Wissa, Bakambu.
England vs DR Congo Match Prediction
England enter this tie as strong favourites, but Tuchel’s warning over complacency feels important. The knockout stage has already shown how narrow margins can be, and DR Congo’s defensive organisation should make this a different challenge to a wide-open group-stage match.
DR Congo have nothing to lose and should be comfortable adopting an underdog role, sitting compact and looking to use Wissa and Bakambu on the break. Their comeback win over Uzbekistan showed resilience, while the draw with Portugal proved they can frustrate elite opposition.
England should still have too much quality if they remain patient. Kane’s movement, Bellingham’s ability between the lines and the pace of Saka or Rashford out wide give Tuchel several ways to break down a deep block, while Rice and Anderson should help protect against transitions.
This may not be a rout, especially if DR Congo keep the game level for long periods, but England’s attacking options and tournament experience should eventually tell.
Score Prediction: England 1-0 DR Congo
