England v DR Congo: Favourites Meet the First-Timers in Atlanta
Available in USWe’ve no horse of our own in this race, but the auld neighbour across the water is one of the few sides left that an Irish living room can get properly worked up about — for or against. On Wednesday, England begin their knockout campaign against DR Congo, a side reaching the World Cup knockout rounds for the very first time, and it lands at a civilised 5pm our time. Tea-time telly, a heavy favourite and an underdog with nothing to lose: grand viewing whichever way your loyalties fall.
The gulf in the prices
The bookies see a mismatch and price it like one. England are 2/7 to win in 90 minutes, the draw is 9/2, and DR Congo are out at 11/1 (ESPN/bet365 board, as of 30 June 2026, converted to fractional). On the outright, England are 7/1 to go all the way — joint with Spain among the second tier of contenders behind France and Argentina.
The underlying numbers explain the short price. England come in having won nine and drawn one of their last ten, scoring at a rate of 2.6 goals a game, and topped a group that included Croatia (beaten 4–2) and Ghana. DR Congo, by contrast, arrive via a third-place finish, with a 3–1 win over Uzbekistan and a creditable 1–1 draw with Portugal on the board but a clear step down in class.
The Reece James question
England don’t arrive entirely unscathed. There’s a fitness doubt hanging over Reece James with a hamstring issue — reports differ on whether he’ll be available, so it’s one to watch when the team news lands rather than bank on either way. The better news for the manager is that Declan Rice, rested in the final group game, came through his fitness check and is expected to be available to anchor the midfield. For a side this heavily fancied, squad depth means neither absence should derail the favourite’s tag.
DR Congo’s day in the sun
Spare a thought, and maybe a cheer, for the underdog. This is DR Congo’s first-ever World Cup knockout appearance, and as a nation that knows all about turning up to the big dance against the odds — we’ve a Saipan or two in our own history — there’s plenty to admire in a side simply refusing to be overawed. The closed roof at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium takes the heat and weather out of the equation, which on balance suits the more technical favourite, but a tournament that just saw Germany and the Netherlands dumped out on penalties has reminded everyone that nothing is a foregone conclusion.
The Irish neighbour’s verdict
England should win, and win well — the honest call is England to cover a handicap rather than the bare result at a price that buys you nothing. But the romance is all with the first-timers, and after Monday’s carnage you’d be a brave punter to call any knockout tie a certainty. A 5pm IST kick-off is perfect for the early-evening watch, and RTÉ have it live. The euro-priced Irish books — Boomerang Bet, BetiBet, ZotaBet and the rest — have the handicap and goals markets up if you fancy dressing the game up. For the bigger picture, our England World Cup 2026 page tracks their run, and the teams hub has the rest of the contenders.
Odds shown are converted to fractional format for Irish bookmakers and were accurate as of the timestamp noted; always check the live price before betting. 18+, gamble responsibly.
