Senegal coach Pape Thiaw insists the national team is chasing “big dreams” as it prepares for the 2026 World Cup, unveiling a larger 28-man squad ahead of the tournament next month. Thiaw framed the selection as a bid to “achieve great things” in a competition he described as demanding and relentless.
At the heart of the group are several established names, including Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Edouard Mendy and captain Kalidou Koulibaly. Koulibaly, though, has been unavailable since April 8 due to a thigh problem, meaning his participation will be monitored closely as the tournament approaches.
Alongside the experienced figures, Thiaw has also handed places to rising talents such as Monaco’s Lamine Camara, Paris Saint-Germain forward Ibrahima Mbaye and Bayern Munich midfielder Bara Sapoko Ndiaye. Striker Bamba Dieng has been rewarded for a strong finish to the season with French club Lorient, earning his inclusion in the squad.
Presenting the selection to the media, the former Senegal international said the roster is designed to withstand the “demands of this World Cup,” pointing to the intense nature of the tournament. “It’s a balanced and well thought out group to meet the demands of this World Cup, which is an intense competition,” he said.
Senegal’s World Cup campaign is scheduled to start on June 16, when they face France in New Jersey. Kylian Mbappé’s side will be their first opponent, with Group I also featuring Norway and Iraq.
The teams’ history adds extra spice to the opener: Senegal and France met only once before, in the opening fixture of the 2002 World Cup. That match ended with Senegal winning before going on to reach the quarter-finals.
Thiaw addressed the significance of the draw and the matchup, saying Senegal do not view France as a standout target compared with the rest of the group. “Senegal have three opponents. Why focus on France?” he said. “Norway and Iraq are there. We have a historical connection with France. But for me, it’s not a special match.”
Senegal’s build-up to the tournament has been unsettled by controversy after the team won the Africa Cup of Nations final in January. The result was later overturned on appeal in March, with the victory awarded to Morocco, the opponents and tournament hosts.
CAF’s complaint centered on rules relating to leaving the pitch. During the match in Rabat, Senegal’s players, Thiaw and his staff walked off after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty. The incident involved forward Brahim Díaz, who ultimately missed the spot kick.
Senegalese officials have since pushed back against CAF’s ruling, with the Senegal Football Federation lodging an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahly/RSA), Mory Diaw (Le Havre/FRA), Yehvann Diouf (Nice/FRA)
Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal/RSA), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa/ISR), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon/FRA), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray/TUR), Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg/FRA), Antoine Mendy (Nice/FRA), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht/BEL), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham/ENG), Krepin Diatta (Monaco/FRA), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC/FRA)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton/ENG), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham/ENG), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano/ESP), Pape Gueye (Villarreal/ESP), Lamine Camara (Monaco/FRA), Habib Diarra (Sunderland/ENG), Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (Bayern Munich/GER)
Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al Nassr/RSA), Bamba Dieng (Lorient/FRA), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich/GER), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton/ENG), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace/ENG), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor/TUR), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz/FRA), Ibrahima Mbaye (Paris SG/FRA), Assane Diao (Como/ITA)
