The wife of DR Congo’s captain is certainly making her presence felt online in the build-up to their World Cup 2026 round of 32 match against England
England will face DR Congo for the first time in their history as the two nations duel at the World Cup and the glamorous wife of Congolese captain Chancel Mbemba will be cheering on her husband’s team from the stands.
The Three Lions have progressed into the World Cup 2026 knockouts as group winners and their round of 32 assignment comes against an unfamiliar face. DR Congo’s four points earned from Group K, including a draw against Portugal, were enough to see them through as one of the top eight third-place finishers.
England will now meet them in Atlanta. The African nation will no doubt be massive underdogs as they prepare to face Thomas Tuchel’s side in their first-ever World Cup knockout match, but they’ll have the undying support of Sofia Mbemba, the skipper’s wife and prominent online personality.
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Sofia has been married to Chancel for roughly a decade, following him throughout his playing career, which, in 2015, took him to Newcastle United. The defender suffered the heartbreak of relegation with the Magpies before helping them back to the top flight in 2017.
Chancel, DR Congo’s all-time record appearance-maker, has also starred for Anderlecht, Porto and Marseille and is set to become a free agent after his current deal with Lille expires. Wherever he ends up next, Sofia will be by his side.
The pair share four children together and Sofia has amassed a stellar fanbase online, boasting 166,000 Instagram followers.
She provides a glimpse into her lifestyle on the platform, often showcasing high-end looks and images of her with her beau before and after games.
Sofia, an entrepreneur and businesswoman, is present in North America with Chancel. She has been sporting some custom outfits, including a bustier created from a Congolese national team jersey.
This piece, designed in partnership with Commelejour, a Belgian brand specialising in upcycling and personalisation, turned heads and features her husband’s squad number on the front.
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In a 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.”
She will no doubt have an outfit in mind for the historic game against England on Wednesday evening and her husband has warned Tuchel’s men that DR Congo will not roll over easily.
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.”