DR Congo will face England in the World Cup round of 32 on Wednesday, and the African nation has the support of their captain's glamorous wife, Sofia Mbemba. The wife of skipper and ex-Newcastle United star Chancel Mbemba has been turning heads at the tournament with her fashion choices.
England vs DR Congo: First Ever Meeting
The Three Lions have made it through to the World Cup 2026 knockout stages as group winners, and their last-32 tie pits them against an opponent they have never faced before. DR Congo's four points from Group K, which included a draw with Portugal, proved sufficient to see them qualify as one of the best eight third-placed teams. England will now face them in Atlanta.
The African side will undoubtedly be considered heavy underdogs as they gear up to take on Thomas Tuchel's team in their maiden World Cup knockout fixture, but they will have the unwavering backing of Sofia Mbemba, the captain's wife and elegant social media figure.
Sofia Mbemba: Marriage and Family
Sofia has been married to Chancel, 31, for approximately 10 years, accompanying him throughout his playing career, which brought him to St James' Park in 2015. The centre-back quickly became a cult hero but endured the disappointment of relegation with the Magpies before playing a role in their promotion back to the Premier League in 2017.
Chancel, DR Congo's most-capped player of all time, has also turned out for Anderlecht, Porto and Marseille and is poised to become available on a free transfer when his current contract with Lille runs out. Wherever his next destination may be, Sofia will remain at his side. The couple have four children, and Sofia has built an impressive following on social media, with 166,000 Instagram followers.
Custom-Made Bustier Steals the Show
Sofia, who runs her own business ventures, is currently in North America supporting Chancel. She has been wearing some bespoke pieces, including a bustier fashioned from a Congolese national team shirt. The garment, created in collaboration with Commelejour, a Belgian label that specialises in upcycling and customisation, attracted considerable attention and displays her husband's squad number on the front.
In a social media 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."
DR Congo Captain Warns England
Sofia will undoubtedly have something special planned for the historic fixture against England on Wednesday evening, and her husband has cautioned Tuchel's side that DR Congo will not be pushovers. 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."
