Senegal have reportedly parted ways with head coach Pape Thiaw after the national team’s disappointing exit in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Thiaw, who took charge of the Teranga Lions in December 2024, failed to guide Senegal beyond the first knockout round after a campaign that began with back-to-back defeats against France and Norway.
Despite those setbacks, Senegal kept their tournament alive by hammering Iraq 5-0 in their final group match, securing one of the places reserved for the best third-placed teams.
Their World Cup journey ended in dramatic fashion against Belgium. Senegal looked set for victory after opening up a 2-0 lead, only to concede twice late in normal time before a penalty in extra time completed a remarkable 3-2 comeback for the Europeans.
The fallout from that defeat was immediate. Midfielder Pape Gueye announced he would be “taking a break” from international football for as long as the current coaching setup remained in place.
In a statement, the Senegal Football Federation (FSF) said that “after a thorough evaluation of the sporting results and prospects of the national team” it had dismissed Thiaw “in the best interests of Senegalese football”.
Thiaw’s tenure had already been overshadowed by controversy before the World Cup. Senegal’s place at the 2026 tournament came after the country appealed a Confederation of African Football (Caf) decision to strip them of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
The dispute stemmed from the Afcon final in January, when Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
Following a delay of around 17 minutes, the Senegal players returned to the field. Brahim Diaz failed to convert the penalty after his effort was saved, before Gueye netted the winning goal in extra time.
Caf later overturned the result in March, ruling Morocco the official champions because of Senegal’s walk-off during the final.
Senegal have since taken the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport as they continue their bid to have the Afcon title restored.
