liveUpdated 7m agoFollow live as England look to reach the last 16 for the third straight World CupThe Athletic Live Team and moreJuly 1, 2026 at 4:20 AM EDTEngland fans ahead of the game. Getty ImagesEngland vs DR Congo — LatestEngland face DR Congo in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup today, with a trip to Mexico City for the last 16 at stake.England topped Group L, while DR Congo qualified from Group K as one of the best third-placed sides after drawing with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and beating Uzbekistan.Follow along for the latest build-up, team news, live updates and analysis from our writers.Start time: 12pm ET, 5pm BSTTV: FOX, BBC, Fubo (try free now)Join the conversation here or email us at live@theathletic.comEngland’s World Cup campaign so far Getty ImagesIt was not all smooth sailing, but England did enough to secure top spot in their group, going unbeaten across all three games.Thomas Tuchel’s side played some brilliant attacking football against Croatia, charging to a deserved 4-2 win, before a frustrating goalless draw with Ghana exposed their difficulty in breaking down a stubborn defence.The first half against Panama looked like a continuation of the Ghana match, but Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane both struck after the break to give England a vital 2-0 win and seal first place in the group.On paper, England have the players, and an elite manager, to go deep into the tournament. They are also on the opposite side of the draw to France and Spain, the teams who denied them in their previous two major tournaments.Which games have been played in Atlanta? Getty ImagesAtlanta has already hosted five matches at this year’s World Cup, including Spain’s now-infamous 0-0 draw with Cape Verde, Morocco’s 4-2 win over Haiti and DR Congo’s 3-1 comeback victory against Uzbekistan.Two more games, excluding today’s fixture, will be played in Atlanta:Round of 16: July 7, 12pm ET, 5pm BSTSemi-final: July 15, 3pm ET, 8pm BSTIf things go the way England hope, they will be back here for that semi-final in two weeks’ time.Our venue today Getty ImagesOpened in 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has a capacity of over 70,000 and is home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. It hosted the Super Bowl in 2019 and will do so again in 2028.Our team of writers at The Athletic ranked each stadium out of 10 for five categories, including matchday experience, match atmosphere, transport and location, aesthetics, and suitability for soccer/football. See where Felipe Cardenas placed it in the rankings and read the full stadium guide for Atlanta.How to watch today's match Getty ImagesToday's match between England and DR Congo can be seen on Fox in the U.S. and BBC One in the UK.You can also stream the game in the U.S. on Fubo (try free now).What time does England vs DR Congo kick off? Getty ImagesToday’s game gets underway at 12pm ET in Atlanta, which is 9am PT on the west coast of the U.S. and 5pm in the UK.Welcome to our live coverage Getty ImagesHello and welcome to The Athletic’s live coverage of this round-of-32 clash between England and DR Congo at the 2026 World Cup.Thomas Tuchel’s side topped Group L with seven points from three games, while DR Congo reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history as one of the best third-placed sides.The winners will head to the Estadio Azteca for a round-of-16 tie on July 5.We’ll bring you all the latest build-up, team news, analysis and more ahead of kick-off later today, so don’t go anywhere.