Congolese fans at Atlanta Stadium witnessed the most historic night in their national team’s history on Saturday. A 3-1 win over Uzbekistan secured their place in the Round of 32, a moment that should have included arguably their biggest superfan. Michel Kuka Mboladinga had planned to be there, but American authorities did not allow him to enter the country.

“Lumumba Vea”, as he is affectionately known, rose to fame during the 2025 AFCON in Morocco after posing as a living statue in the stands, standing motionless throughout matches while dressed in strikingly colored attire resembling that of former Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. It was unique, and heading into the FIFA World Cup, it was one of the spectacles fans were looking forward to the most.

Mboladinga did make it to North America, but because of the ongoing Ebola virus outbreak in the DRC, he was forced into isolation — for 21 days in Europe — before being allowed to enter the country. As a result, he missed Congo’s opening game against Portugal, which ended in a 1-1 draw. But his quarantine ended ahead of the team’s second group stage game against Colombia, which was held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Mboladinga’s presence was one of the highlights in Congo’s 1-0 loss to the South American side, as he came dressed as Lumumba, covered his mouth with his hands, and placed two fingers on his head to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in his country. But what everyone wondered after that game was whether he would be allowed to travel to Atlanta for the Uzbekistan clash.

The U.S. Department of State has been particularly cautious about allowing people from the DRC to enter the country because of the Ebola outbreak, after all. However, the reason for the denial of his visa has not been confirmed. The hope now is that any pending issues are resolved before Congo face England in the Round of 32 on July 1.

“I hope he brings his own brand of support to the team,” Kapinga Yvette Ngandu, Congolese Ambassador to the U.S., told Reuters, hoping he gets a visa before the England clash.

Mboladinga’s calm and still demeanour amid the fan chaos around him in the matches he attended made him an instant internet sensation. He received a hero’s welcome back in Congo after the AFCON, where his team went down to Algeria in the Round of 16, and the government gifted him a four-wheel drive. But that’s not why he did it. He did it because of his love for his country, and even inspired others to emulate him.

Although Mboladinga was absent from the stadium, he had an impersonator who paid tribute to President Lumumba during the game against Uzbekistan. Enock Kabwende, a 28-year-old, stepped in, looking like Lumumba ‌in ⁠a dark suit.

“I want to keep the culture going. He didn’t come here, but we ​have to represent our country. Patrice Lumumba represents ​liberty, ⁠strong power, prosperity, and freedom in our country,” he told Reuters. Kabwemde hopes to stand together with Mboladinga if he can secure a visa and attend the game against England.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been marred by restrictions on fan and team movements. An official report from the Canadian immigration revealed that it rejected over 50% of foreign visa applications. The USA imposed travel bans on several nations, making travel for fans from those nations impossible. The Iranian soccer team had to change their practise base to Mexico due to geopolitical tensions with the USA and had to fly in and out of the country during matchdays.

But as the tournament enters the knockout phase, fans will be hoping the action on the pitch takes centre stage.

DR Congo secure historic knockout qualification at the World Cup

After a dismal Round of 16 exit at the AFCON, DR Congo were drawn into a tough group alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan at the first-ever FIFA World Cup as an independent nation. They had previously competed as Zaire at the 1974 World Cup.

The Congolese scored a historic goal on the opening day through Yoane Wissa and impressed everyone by holding Portugal to a 1-1 draw, cancelling out João Neves’ first-half header.

However, the next game was not going to be that memorable. A late Daniel Muñoz goal condemned them to defeat in their second game against Colombia. They needed a victory in their final group match to qualify for the knockout stage as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

The Leopards had a sluggish start against Uzbekistan as Eldor Shomurodov opened the scoring for the Uzbeks. DR Congo were staring at elimination before Yoane Wissa buried a 68th-minute penalty.

The goal sparked a late flourish as substitute Fiston Mayele scored off the bench, before Wissa added another in stoppage time to seal a 3-1 victory and a historic qualification for the knockout stage. They will face England at Atlanta Stadium and will be hoping to go one step further.