The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared a national holiday after its men’s football team secured a historic return to the FIFA World Cup, ending a wait of more than 50 years.

The Leopards booked their place in the tournament with a 1–0 win over Jamaica in a play-off clash on Tuesday. The decisive moment came deep into extra time, when defender Axel Tuanzebe struck in the 100th minute to seal victory.

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According to Yahoo Sports, the country’s Ministry of Labour and Employment has since announced that Wednesday would be observed as a public holiday, hailing the achievement as “historic” and urging citizens to celebrate with unity, pride and passion.

DR Congo has only appeared at the World Cup once before, back in 1974 when it competed as Zaire. This latest qualification marks the end of a 52-year absence from football’s biggest stage.

Celebrations have already began in the capital, Kinshasa, where fans took to the streets shortly after the match in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Supporters expressed both joy and relief, with one fan telling the BBC that the victory offered a moment of pride despite ongoing hardships in the country.

The DR Congo has endured prolonged periods of conflict, with tensions escalating further last year following advances by the M23 rebel group in the eastern regions.

Meanwhile, anticipation is already building for the team’s World Cup campaign. They are set to face the Portugal national football team, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, in their opening fixture in Houston on June 17, before taking on Colombia and Uzbekistan in the group stage.

DR Congo’s qualification also means they will be among 10 African nations competing in the expanded World Cup finals which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.