Zimbabwe welcome the Democratic Republic of Congo to the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Monday, 28 September 2026, for Matchday 2 of Group E in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Kick-off is set for 16:00 GMT (18:00 local time), with the 60,000-capacity venue offering the Warriors home advantage in what has quickly become the standout fixture of the round.
Two unbeaten sides collide early
Zimbabwe and DR Congo are the two teams that won their opening matches, making the meeting in Harare an early battle between the Group E leaders. With Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone facing each other on the same day, victory in Harare would allow either the Warriors or the Leopards to move clear at the summit before the section's remaining rounds.
How each side arrived in Harare
Zimbabwe produced one of the more dramatic results of the opening matchday. Ramón Catalá's side trailed Sierra Leone 2-0 at halftime after goals from Alie Conteh and Sallieu Tarawallie, but completely changed the game after the break. Marshall Munetsi pulled one back in the 72nd minute before Tawanda Chirewa equalised four minutes later, and Munetsi struck again in the 88th minute to complete a remarkable 3-2 victory in Morocco.
DR Congo were more comfortable in their curtain-raiser. Captain and centre-back Chancel Mbemba headed the Leopards in front inside the opening minutes against Equatorial Guinea in Kinshasa, before Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa doubled the advantage in the second half to seal a 2-0 win. Sébastien Desabre's side arrive in Zimbabwe having won nine of their last 11 AFCON qualifying matches since 2023, a run that also included a run to the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup.
A finely balanced rivalry
History suggests this fixture is unlikely to be one-sided. The previous five meetings between the two national teams have produced a perfectly balanced record: Zimbabwe and DR Congo have each recorded two victories, while one match ended in a draw. Overall, Zimbabwe have scored 7 goals compared with 10 for DR Congo across those encounters. Their most recent duel came at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo, where DR Congo won that match 4-0 under then-coach Florent Ibengé, with Cédric Bakambu among the scorers.
What is on the line in Group E
The stakes stretch well beyond bragging rights. Group E does not include any of the tournament's three automatically qualified host nations, meaning the top two teams after six matchdays will qualify directly for AFCON 2027, which is due to be staged across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. For Zimbabwe, a positive result would mark another step in their push to return to the continental showpiece after a suspension that kept them out of the game for several years, with the Warriors chasing a second consecutive qualification but still searching for their first appearance beyond the group stage. For DR Congo, extending their unbeaten start would reinforce their status as one of the form sides in African qualifying and build on the momentum generated by their run at the 2026 World Cup.
Officials and build-up
The Confederation of African Football has appointed Egyptian official Amin Mohamed Omar to take charge of the match, a referee with considerable experience of international fixtures on the continent. Both squads have spent recent days based in Harare finalising preparations, with DR Congo's staff having already confirmed their starting line-up for the contest hours before kick-off.
Beyond Monday's result, both nations still have four further matchdays to negotiate in Group E before the qualifying picture becomes clear. A win in Harare would not settle top spot outright, but it would hand the victor a psychological and points advantage heading into the remainder of the campaign, making this early-season clash one to watch closely as the race for a place at AFCON 2027 begins to take shape.