SEN
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 · GROUP I · POT 2

Senegal
World Cup 26-man squad

Manager Pape Thiaw · Senegalese head coach since 2024 (aged 45). Succeeded Aliou Cissé — a former Senegal forward (16 caps, 5 goals) who won CHAN 2022 with the home-based A' team.
MD1 Jun 16 vs France MD2 Jun 22 vs Norway MD3 Jun 26 vs Iraq
3th World Cup appearance · best finish: Quarter-finals (2002)
26
Squad size
26.6
Avg. age
26 / 26
Overseas-based
13 / 13
WC veterans / Debutants
TEAM STORY

Pape Thiaw's Senegal announced their final 26 on June 1 (trimmed from 28). This is Senegal's third consecutive World Cup (4th overall) — and the realistic target is to match or surpass the 2002 quarter-final. The golden generation of Mané, Koulibaly, Gueye and Mendy still anchor the squad.

Spine: captain Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal, 102 caps) + Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr, ex-Liverpool, 55 goals) + Édouard Mendy (Al-Ahli, Champions League winner) + Idrissa Gueye (Everton, 130 caps) + Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich) + Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham). Premier League/Saudi spine blends with next-gen talents like Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea) and Lamine Camara (Monaco).

Group I opponents: France, Norway, Iraq. June 16 vs FRA (New York New Jersey Stadium) → June 22 vs NOR (New York New Jersey Stadium) → June 26 vs IRQ (Toronto). Potentially the golden generation's last World Cup — surpassing the 2002 quarter-final is the realistic target.

PREDICTED XI

LIKELY 4-3-3.

Pape Thiaw's preferred 4-3-3. Jackson (Bayern) at No.9, Mané (Al-Nassr) left, Sarr (Crystal Palace) right. Gueye (Everton) anchors with Pape Matar Sarr (Spurs) + Lamine Camara (Monaco) as 8s. Captain Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) + Sarr (Chelsea) at CB.

4-3-3 (predicted)
KEY PLAYERS

KEY PLAYERS.

The five players who set the tone in the group stage — by role and trait.

3
CB · DF
Kalidou Koulibaly
Al-Hilal · 34
102 caps · 2G WC: 2018, 2022
Captain & ex-Napoli/Chelsea CB
CAPTAIN
10
LW · FW
Sadio Mané
Al-Nassr · 34
127 caps · 55G WC: 2018
Ace & ex-Liverpool legend
ACE
16
GK · GK
Édouard Mendy
Al-Ahli · 34
56 caps · 0G WC: 2022
Champions League-winning ex-Chelsea keeper
11
ST · FW
Nicolas Jackson
Bayern Munich · 24 · Bundesliga
32 caps · 8G WC: 2022
Bayern No.9 (joined 2025)
17
CM · MF
Pape Matar Sarr
Tottenham Hotspur · 23 · Premier League
39 caps · 4G WC: 2022
Tottenham midfield core
SQUAD

SQUAD 26.

GK GOALKEEPERS 3
DF DEFENDERS 8
MF MIDFIELDERS 7
FW FORWARDS 8
GROUP I

GROUP I.

FRA
France
POT 1
SEN
Senegal
POT 2
NOR
Norway
POT 3
IRQ
Iraq
POT 4
Tue, Jun 16
France vs Senegal
New York New Jersey Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ
Senegal's third consecutive World Cup (4th overall) opens at New York New Jersey Stadium vs Pot 1 France. Koulibaly + Sarr must contain Mbappé — a giant-kill dream.
View lineups →
MD1
Mon, Jun 22
Norway vs Senegal
New York New Jersey Stadium · East Rutherford, NJ
New York New Jersey Stadium showdown vs Norway (Pot 3, Haaland + Ødegaard). Jackson + Mané's vertical push against Norway's attack.
View lineups →
MD2
Fri, Jun 26
Iraq vs Senegal
Toronto Stadium · Toronto
Group decider vs Iraq (back after 40 years). A pivotal match for Senegal — chasing their first quarter-final since 2002.
View lineups →
MD3

Road to the final

Spoiler-free: the potential bracket route by final group position. No results shown.

Win Group I
  1. Round of 32 Jun 30 · East Rutherford vs 3rd place (C/D/F/G/H)
  2. Round of 16 Jul 04 · Philadelphia vs Winner of Match 74
  3. Quarter-finals Jul 09 · Foxborough vs Winner of Match 90
  4. Semi-finals Jul 14 · Arlington vs Winner of Match 98
  5. Final Jul 19 · East Rutherford vs Winner of Match 102
Runners-up, Group I
  1. Round of 32 Jun 30 · Arlington vs Runners-up Group E
  2. Round of 16 Jul 05 · East Rutherford vs Winner of Match 76
  3. Quarter-finals Jul 11 · Miami Gardens vs Winner of Match 92
  4. Semi-finals Jul 15 · Atlanta vs Winner of Match 100
  5. Final Jul 19 · East Rutherford vs Winner of Match 101
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