DR Congo faces England in the last 16 of the World Cup on Wednesday and the African nation has the support of its captain’s glamorous wife.
Sofia Mbemba’s performance at the 2026 World Cup
England will face DR Congo at the World Cup for the first time in history. And the wife of Congolese captain and ex-Newcastle United star Chancel Mbemba will support her husband’s team from the stands.
The Three Lions entered the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup as group winners and a draw in the round of 16 will see them face an opponent they have never faced before. DR Congo’s four points in Group K, including a draw with Portugal, were enough to put them among the top eight third-placed teams.
England will now face them in Atlanta. The African team will undoubtedly be considered strong underdogs as they prepare to take on Thomas Tuchel’s side in their first World Cup knockout match, but they will have the unwavering support of Sophia Mbemba, the captain’s wife and elegant social media figure.
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Sophia has been married to Chancel, 31, for about 10 years, accompanying him throughout his playing career, which took 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 return to the Premier League in 2017.
Chancel, DR Congo’s all-time most capped player, has also played for Anderlecht, Porto and Marseille and is poised to become available on a free transfer when his current contract with Lille expires. Wherever his next destination is, Sofia will remain by his side.
Sofia has been married to Chancel for about 10 years (Image: Instagram/@sofiammbemba)
The couple has four children, and Sofia has an impressive social media following, with 166,000 followers on Instagram. On the platform, she talks about her life, regularly sharing luxurious fashion choices and photos with her partner both before and after matches.
Sophia, who runs her own business, is currently in North America supporting Chancel. She wore several custom-made items, including a bustier made from a Congo national team jersey.
The garment, created in collaboration with Commelejour, a Belgian brand that specializes in upcycling and customization, has attracted significant attention and features her husband’s squad number on the front.
The personalized item was loved by fans (Image: Instagram/@sofiammbemba)
Sophia supported her husband during his time in the North East (Image: Instagram/@sofiammbemba)
In her post, Sofia wrote: “In this game (against Portugal) I wear my country with pride, striking a balance between elegance, authenticity and ease. Thank you Commelejour for realizing my vision with this bustier in honor of my favorite player.”
She undoubtedly has something special planned for Wednesday night’s historic match against England and her husband has warned Tuchel’s team that DR Congo will not be a weak performer.
The central midfielder said: “We know very well that we are up against a top team. But we know all about the quality of the next opponent. We need to recover well, but we will continue to work hard to be ready.”
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