The wife of the DR Congo captain is certainly making her presence known with her online presence ahead of the 2026 World Cup round of 16 match against England.
07:15, 01 Jul 2026Updated 07:54, 01 July 2026
Sofia Mbemba – I’m not afraid (Official music video) Sofia Mbemba – I’m not afraid (Official music video)
England will face DR Congo for the first time in their history as part of a World Cup duel between the two countries, with the glamorous wife of Congolese captain Chancel Mbemba cheering on her husband’s team from the stands.
The Three Lions qualified for the 2026 World Cup knockout stages as group winners and their round of 16 assignment faced an unfamiliar face. DR Congo’s four points in Group K, including a draw with Portugal, were enough to propel them into the top eight third-place finishers.
England will now face them in Atlanta. The African nation will no doubt be huge underdogs as they prepare to face Thomas Tuchel’s side in their first World Cup knockout match, but they will have the undying support of Sophia Mbemba, the captain’s wife and famous online personality.
The entrepreneur can often be seen at DR Congo games (Image: Instagram/@sofiammbemba)
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Sofia has been married to Chancel for about ten years, following him throughout his playing career, which took him to Newcastle United in 2015. The defender survived relegation heartbreak with the Magpies before helping them return to the top flight in 2017.
Chancel, DR Congo’s all-time appearance holder, has also played for Anderlecht, Porto and Marseille and is set to become a free agent when his current contract with Lille expires. Wherever he finds himself next, Sofia will be by his side.
The couple have four children and Sofia has amassed a stellar online fan base with 166,000 followers on Instagram.
Sofia has been married to Chancel for about ten years (Image: Instagram/@sofiammbemba)
Her custom top was a hit (Image: Instagram/@sofiammbemba)
On the platform, she gives a glimpse of her lifestyle, often showcasing luxurious looks and images of her with her lover before and after games.
Sophia, an entrepreneur and businesswoman, is present in North America with Chancel. She wore some custom outfits, including a bustier made from a Congo national team jersey.
Created in collaboration with Commelejour, a Belgian brand that specializes in upcycling and personalization, the piece turned heads, featuring her husband’s squad number on the front.
So far, Sofia has attended all of her husband’s World Cup games (Image: Instagram/@sofiammbemba)
England team kit for the 2026 World Cup.
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Various prices
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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 will no doubt dress up for the historic game against England on Wednesday night and her husband has warned Tuchel’s men that DR Congo will not go down easily.
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.”