It seems an awful long time ago when Yoane Wissa signed for Newcastle United and picked up a serious injury playing for DR Congo, before he had even kicked a ball for United.
September 2025 saw Yoane Wissa injured after it looked as though he had played a key role in their automatic qualification for the 2026 Summer World Cup finals.
However, in the Newcastle United striker’s absence, his DR Congo teammates throwing away that automatic qualification place that had been in their grasp.
A massive second chance though of redemption for the players that had let that chance slip away.
The DR Congo squad announced for their World Cup play-off and a decision made on Yoane Wissa.
He will make his international return this month and hopefully help DR Congo secure a place in these finals that take place in Canada, Mexico and the USA this summer.
Yoane Wissa opted out of selection with DR Congo for the African Cup of Nations in December and January, in order to get properly fit with Newcastle United and get some regular football.
My guess is that he has still been struggling to get 100% fit after that serious knee injury and it will be interesting to see what happens with DR Congo, whether he will start for them and if so, how he performs. Fingers crossed that this can help properly kickstart his Newcastle United career.
DR Congo would become the 10th African country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals that kick off in June.
Jamaica play New Caledonia on 26 March 2026, then the winners of that will play DR Congo on 31 March 2026 in an all or nothing match which will decide which team plays in the World Cup finals.
That DR Congo play-off game to take place in Guadalajara, Mexico.
If progressing, Yoane Wissa and DR Congo will be in Group K with Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan, at the 2026 World Cup finals.