England will face DR Congo for the first time in their history as the two nations duel in the World Cup 2026 round of 32, and the glamorous wife of Congolese captain Chancel Mbemba will be cheering on her husband's team from the stands in Atlanta.
DR Congo's Underdog Status
The Three Lions have progressed into the knockout stage as group winners, while DR Congo advanced as one of the top eight third-place finishers with four points from Group K, including a draw against Portugal. The African nation will be massive underdogs against Thomas Tuchel's side in their first-ever World Cup knockout match, but they have the undying support of Sofia Mbemba, the skipper's wife and prominent online personality.
Sofia Mbemba: Entrepreneur and Influencer
Sofia has been married to Chancel for roughly a decade, following him throughout his playing career, which took him to Newcastle United in 2015. The defender suffered relegation with the Magpies before helping them back to the top flight in 2017. Chancel, DR Congo's all-time record appearance-maker, has also starred for Anderlecht, Porto, and Marseille, and is set to become a free agent after his current deal with Lille expires. The couple share four children.
Sofia has amassed a stellar fanbase online, boasting 166,000 Instagram followers. She provides a glimpse into her lifestyle on the platform, often showcasing high-end looks and images with her husband before and after games. As an entrepreneur and businesswoman, she is present in North America with Chancel and has been sporting custom outfits, including a bustier created from a Congolese national team jersey.
Custom Outfit Steals the Show
The bustier, designed in partnership with Commelejour—a Belgian brand specialising in upcycling and personalisation—features her husband's squad number on the front. In a post, Sofia wrote: "For this game [against Portugal], I wear my country with pride, in a balance between elegance, authenticity, and casualness. Thank you, Commelejour, for realising my vision with this bustier in homage to my favourite player."
She will no doubt have an outfit in mind for the historic game against England on Wednesday evening. Her husband has warned Tuchel's men that DR Congo will not roll over easily. The centre-half said: "We know full well that we will be up against a top team. But we know all about the qualities of the next opponent. We need to recover well, but we will keep working hard to be ready."
