This Wednesday, July 1st, the Three Lions and the Leopards face off in the round of 16 of the North American World Cup. Before the showdown on the field, the match of numbers pits two economic universes and two currencies that are worlds apart; everything except, perhaps, ambition.
Kick-off: David versus Goliath of GDP. On one side, the United Kingdom (of which England is a member with nearly 85% of the country’s total GDP), the fifth largest economy in the world with a GDP of 4.260 trillion dollars in 2026 and a per capita income of around 61,246 dollars. On the other side, the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a nominal GDP estimated at 123.4 billion dollars in 2026 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This results in a power ratio of about 35 to 1 in favor of the English and the British pound. On paper, the score seems decided.
The growth dynamic at half-time break. This is where the Leopards and the Congolese franc take the initiative. The real GDP growth of Congo is estimated at 5.5% in 2025, and is expected to exceed 5% in 2026, driven by the dynamism of the extractive sector. In contrast, the United Kingdom only shows a modest +1.1% in 2024 and a forecast of around +1.0% for 2025. In terms of pace, the DRC is running faster.
Half-time: inflation and employment, two different problems. London is facing rising inflation, reaching +3.4% in May 2025, while unemployment is climbing to 5.0% and then 5.1% by the end of 2025. Kinshasa, on the other hand, achieves a feat: reducing inflation from 17.7% in 2024 to around 7.5-8.0% in 2025, thanks to a prudent monetary policy of the Central Bank of Congo (BCC).
Second half: commodities, star attacker of the Leopards. The DRC has become the second largest producer of copper in the world, exporting around 3.4 million tons in 2025, and remains the undisputed world leader in cobalt. A trump card in the global energy transition. The UK’s weapon remains its financial power: the City, widely recognized as Europe’s top financial center and the second in the world, just behind New York.
Extra time. On the Congolese side, the total public debt stands at 15.5 billion US dollars at the end of 2015, according to the latest official report published by the General Directorate of Public Debt, of which around 8 billion is external debt. In comparison, data shows around 2,980 billion pounds (approximately 3,950 billion dollars), representing a ratio of about 95.3% to 103.4% of its GDP, compared to 18.1% for Kinshasa, much lower than in London.
Pre-match verdict. In terms of accumulated wealth, England dominates. In terms of trajectory, youth, and strategic resources, the DRC gains points. This July 1st, it remains to be seen if the Leopards will turn their cobalt into goals.
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