Senegal will take on France in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday night, marking a rematch of the 2002 World Cup opener.
Pape Thiaw, who was part of the squad that famously upset Les Bleus 24 years ago, is now at the helm as manager and aims to replicate that success. He has a full roster to choose from, but L’Équipe reports that Kalidou Koulibaly, returning from injury, may not be at peak performance and could miss the match. In his absence, Mamadou Sarr may step in. The Chelsea defender’s speed might be advantageous against France’s attacking line.
Idrissa Gueye, another player coming back from injury, is anticipated to start in the Senegal midfield alongside AS Monaco’s Lamine Camara.
Projected Senegal Starting Line-up vs France
Edouard Mendy;
El Hadji Malick Diouf,
Moussa Niakhaté,
Mamadou Sarr,
Krépin Diatta;
Pape Gueye,
Idrissa Gueye,
Lamine Camara;
Sadio Mané,
Nicolas Jackson,
Ismaila Sarr.