Thiaw and technical staff sacked after Senegal's World Cup exit

Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw and his staff dismissed
Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw and his staff dismissedReuters

Following the early elimination of the Lions of Teranga in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has decided to move on from manager Pape Thiaw.

The Executive Committee has officially announced that it has decided "to initiate a procedure to terminate the duties of the national coach, Mr. Pape Bouna Thiaw, as well as his entire technical staff".

This immediate sanction follows the results of the campaign at this 2026 World Cup. The governing body specified that it had "reviewed all reports related to the participation of Senegal at the World Cup" and that "all issues related to this campaign have been taken into account and evaluated".

After this thorough analysis of the results and future prospects, the Committee considered it essential to make a decision "in the best interests of Senegalese football".

Towards a complete overhaul

Beyond the case of the coach, a much broader project is now underway. The Executive Committee has also "mandated the president to take all necessary measures for a true reorganization of all national teams".

To provide an in-depth explanation of the background to this major turning point, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation will hold a press conference this Monday at the Leopold-Sedar-Senghor stadium. He will "go into detail about the reasons behind the decisions made by the Executive Committee".

Patrick Vieira currently appears to be the most likely candidate to succeed Thiaw on the bench.

World Cup 2026

The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.

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