Senegal sacks coach Pape Thiaw after World Cup exit

Senegal part ways with their head coach after the national side’s elimination from the tournament at the round of 32 stage.

Published On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026

Senegal fired coach Pape Thiaw on Saturday, saying their results at the World Cup necessitated a change at the helm of the team.

After beating Morocco in January’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, Senegal had hoped to be contenders at the World Cup, but experienced a disappointing tournament. They lost their opening two group matches to France and Norway and squandered a 2–0 lead with five minutes remaining against Belgium in the last 32, eventually falling 3–2 in extra time.

Thiaw, 45, was slated to begin a five‑match ban in September at the start of the 2027 Cup of Nations qualifiers, following his leadership of a player walk‑off in protest at a penalty awarded to Morocco in the 2025 final in Rabat.

French daily L’Equipe reported that Patrick Vieira, the French World Cup winner born in Dakar, is among the favorites to succeed Thiaw.

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