Senegal

The 2026 spine: Mendy’s gloves and Mané’s last dance

Édouard Mendy anchors a defense that conceded just four goals in CAF qualifying, while Kalidou Koulibaly’s leadership remains vital despite his Saudi Pro League move. Up front, Sadio Mané turns 34 during the tournament—expect explosive cameos rather than 90-minute shifts. The midfield hinges on Pape Matar Sarr’s Tottenham growth and Lamine Camara’s emergence after his 2023 Africa Cup of Nations breakthrough.

Group H’s revenge subplot against Uruguay

Senegal’s 2002 group-stage clash with Uruguay decided both teams’ fate—a 3-3 draw eliminated the South Americans. This time, Darwin Núñez leads their attack. The Teranga Lions must also navigate Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and a potential CONCACAF wildcard (likely Jamaica or Honduras) on North American soil. Second place is plausible, but third might not suffice in this 32-team knockout format.

From AFCON kings to World Cup underachievers

Senegal’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations triumph confirmed their continental dominance, but World Cup progress has stalled since their 2002 quarterfinal run. In 2022, they crashed out in the Round of 16 to England. Aliou Cissé’s side now faces pressure to replicate AFCON form globally, especially with Mané fading. Their counterattacking 4-3-3 thrives against technical sides but struggles versus physical opponents—a concern against Uruguay.

Group standings

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Iraq	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Norway	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Senegal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Fixtures & results

Match	Date	Group	Score	Status
France vs SenegalEstadio New York/New Jersey	Tue, Jun 16, 2026 · 20:00 ET	i	–	Scheduled
Norway vs SenegalEstadio New York/New Jersey	Tue, Jun 23, 2026 · 01:00 ET	i	–	Scheduled
Senegal vs IraqEstadio Toronto	Fri, Jun 26, 2026 · 20:00 ET	i	–	Scheduled