DR Congo face Uganda in the first of two friendly matches in South Africa on Friday 2 October, with kick-off scheduled for 14:00 in Kinshasa, 15:00 in South Africa and 15:00 in France.
The match will be played at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium, where the Leopards held their final training session on Thursday. RTNC is expected to show the game, although further broadcast details could be announced in the hours before kick-off.
The two teams are using the end of the current international window to prepare through a double-header, following the opening two rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Uganda Football Association (FUFA) has confirmed that the Cranes travelled to South Africa for the fixtures.
A second friendly between the teams is due to take place during the same camp. FUFA initially announced that the matches would be played on 2 and 5 October.
Uganda’s new-look squad
The fixtures will give DR Congo an opportunity to assess a Uganda side undergoing significant change ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania.
FUFA says it has created a list of more than 200 professional players with links that could make them eligible to represent Uganda. Several new players have already joined the national team.
They include Abdoulaye Sissako, a former France Under-18 and Under-19 international of Malian descent, who qualifies through his grandmother, born in Kampala.
Souleyman Diaby, who has Ivorian heritage, is eligible through a maternal grandfather reportedly from Masaka, while Gaucho Debohi has links through his maternal grandmother, who is said to have been born in Majanji. Goalkeeper Akpan Udoh, a former Under-17 World Cup winner with Nigeria, has a grandparent from Busia.
However, Arnold Vula is likely to attract particular attention from the Congolese side.
The Beerschot striker was born to Congolese parents but now represents Uganda through his paternal grandmother, who was born in Pakwach in the north-west of the country.
Vula, 27, made an immediate impact on his Uganda debut on Tuesday, scoring the winning goal with a header in a 1-0 victory over Libya in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The result gave the Cranes three important points.
Just three days later, he will face the country of his parents in what is set to be a notable occasion for the forward.
Uganda’s preparations also extend to hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations from 19 June to 17 July 2027 alongside Kenya and Tanzania. Ugandan authorities say the three main stadiums planned for the tournament will be completed on schedule.
But work is still behind in some areas. At the end of September, Sports Minister Peter Ogwang called for construction to be accelerated at several training grounds after some projects fell behind their planned timetable.
For Sebastien Desabre’s DR Congo, the immediate priority is to use the two matches to continue developing the team and provide playing time for the many new faces in the squad.