England face DR Congo in World Cup Round of 32 at rare midday kick-off

England play DR Congo in the World Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm BST (midday local time) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The match is a sudden-death encounter, with the winner advancing to the quarter-finals.

The Three Lions topped Group L after a 2-0 win over Panama on Saturday, with Jude Bellingham scoring the opener. England faced some challenges in the group stage, including a goalless draw against Ghana and injury concerns over Reece James, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka. Manager Thomas Tuchel will be hoping for a more clinical performance in the knockout rounds.

DR Congo make historic knockout debut

DR Congo are appearing in the knockout stage for the first time in their history. The African side qualified from Group H after earning their first World Cup point with a draw against Portugal, then defeating Uzbekistan 3-1 in their final group match. Their only previous World Cup appearance was in 1974.

• Kick-off: 5pm BST (midday local) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• England starting XI: Pickford, O'Reilly, Guehi, Konsa, Spence, Rice, Anderson, Rashford, Bellingham, Madueke, Kane (c)
• DR Congo celebrates first knockout qualification in their history
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium has retractable roof, unaffected by weather
• Live commentary on talkSPORT; TV coverage on BBC One from 4pm BST

What's next

The winner of this match will face either Argentina or Australia in the quarter-finals. England will aim to build on their group-stage momentum, while DR Congo look to continue their historic run.