Senegal
SEN · CAF
Head Coach
Pape Thiaw
Pape Thiaw leads Senegal into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, tasked with guiding the squad through a competitive Group I and beyond. The coaching staff has been preparing tactical approaches tailored to the expanded 48-team tournament format.
Group Stage Venue
Dallas
Senegal will play their group stage matches in Dallas. The 2026 World Cup is the first to be hosted across three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — with matches spread across 16 world-class venues.
Squad (23 players)
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Recent Form & Current State
Senegal qualified through CAF qualification and remain Africa's highest-ranked team. Under Pape Thiaw, they continue to build on their 2022 AFCON title and strong World Cup showing. The squad features numerous players at top European clubs.
Form heading into a major tournament is often a key indicator of how far a team can progress. Senegal, currently ranked #14 in the FIFA World Rankings, will look to carry momentum from their recent qualifying and friendly campaigns into the group stage. Consistency in results and squad cohesion built during the qualification cycle will be vital assets. The CAFrepresentatives will be eager to demonstrate their quality on the world's biggest stage in 2026.
World Cup History
Senegal have appeared in three World Cups (2002, 2018, 2022). Their best finish was the quarterfinals in 2002 in their debut, where they famously beat France in the opening match. In 2022, they reached the Round of 16.
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of international football, and Senegal's history in the competition provides important context for their 2026 campaign. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the first time, every nation faces both new opportunities and new challenges in the revamped group stage format featuring groups of four with the top two advancing to a 32-team knockout round. Senegal will aim to write a new chapter in their World Cup story at this historic edition of the tournament.
Group I Opponents
Senegal faces France and Norway and Iraq in Group I. The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of 32. Group dynamics, head-to-head records, and tactical matchups will all play a role in determining which teams progress from this stage.