Senegal have sacked head coach, Pape Thiaw, following the Teranga Lions’ elimination in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) announced Thiaw’s dismissal after reviewing the team’s performances and future prospects. The decision ends his tenure, which began in December 2024.
Senegal endured a difficult start to the World Cup, suffering defeats to France and Norway in their opening two group matches. However, they secured a place in the knockout stage after a convincing 5-0 victory over Iraq, qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.
Their campaign ended in dramatic fashion against Belgium. Senegal established a 2-0 lead before conceding twice late in the game and eventually losing 3-2 after extra time.
The aftermath of the defeat also saw midfielder Pape Gueye announce he would be “taking a break” from international football while the current management remained in charge.
ALSO READ: World Cup: Senegal’s Gueye quits national team until coach leaves
In a statement, the FSF said it had dismissed Thiaw “after a thorough evaluation of the sporting results and prospects of the national team” and that the decision was taken “in the best interests of Senegalese football.”
Thiaw’s tenure was also marked by controversy following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
During the match against Morocco, he instructed his players to leave the pitch after the opposition were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
The players returned after a delay of about 17 minutes. Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the resulting penalty before Pape Gueye scored the winner in extra time.
However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) later overturned the result, declaring Morocco champions after ruling against Senegal over the walk-off incident.
Senegal have appealed CAF’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and are seeking to have the 2025 AFCON title reinstated.
