Disillusioned with politics, young Congolese in the DRC celebrate…

The choice was easy for the Congolese: between the vaguely worded and uncertainly impactful framework agreement signed on November 15 in Doha between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 under Qatari auspices, and the Leopards’ victory against Nigeria on November 16 in the final African playoff match for the 2026 World Cup.

Thousands of Congolese paraded along Lumumba Boulevard in Kinshasa on November 17 to celebrate the return of the national team heroes.

By contrast, many of them simply don’t believe in the roadmap meant to restore peace to the east of the country, which has been plagued by violence for over thirty years.

So what if the DRC hasn’t actually qualified for the World Cup yet? In a country where joy and dreams are rare commodities, people prefer to cling to the opportunity that presents itself, even if it is undoubtedly too fleeting to make them forget much more pressing challenges.

Undoubtedly, the Congolese players and their coaches deserve congratulations, as the victory in Rabat could well lead them to the 2026 World Cup in North America, a competition they haven’t participated in since 1974.

But there is undoubtedly something rushed, even disproportionate, about the mobilization organized for the Leopards’ return.

Particularly because the DRC is not yet mathematically qualified: their ticket will only be confirmed next March, after the intercontinental playoffs.

Nevertheless, President Félix Tshisekedi joined the celebration.

This is hardly surprising, given that the leaders, incapable of offering any other opportunities to young people, have specialized in exploiting every sporting victory to try and buy themselves a breath of fresh air.