Senegal have sacked head coach Pape Thiaw following their 2026 FIFA World Cup exit to Belgium. His departure comes after player unrest and the ongoing CAS appeal over Senegal’s overturned AFCON title.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has dismissed Pape Thiaw as head coach of the Teranga Lions following the team’s early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending a turbulent tenure defined by promising moments, damaging controversies and a trophy stripped by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The decision was announced in a statement on Sunday, days after Senegal squandered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Belgium in extra time during the round of 32.
Thiaw, appointed in December 2024, oversaw a rocky World Cup campaign that began with back-to-back defeats to France and Norway in the group stage. A 5-0 thrashing of Iraq salvaged Senegal’s tournament, allowing them to advance as one of the best third-placed teams, but they were unable to build on that momentum when it mattered most. Against Belgium in the knockout round, a two-goal advantage evaporated and Senegal were eliminated in extra time.
The FSF said the termination followed “a thorough evaluation of the sporting results and prospects of the national team,” adding that the move was made “in the best interests of Senegalese football.”
The fallout from the World Cup exit extended beyond the dugout. Shortly after the Belgium defeat, midfielder Pape Gueye announced a temporary retirement from international duty, vowing not to return until changes were made to the technical crew. The public stance from a senior player added further pressure on the federation to act swiftly.
The AFCON walk-off that defined his reign
Thiaw’s tenure was already overshadowed before the World Cup by one of the most dramatic incidents in African football in recent memory. During the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against host nation Morocco, Thiaw ordered his players off the pitch after a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Morocco. Senegal later returned to the field and won the match in extra time, but the Confederation of African Football overturned the result, declared Morocco champions and stripped Senegal of the title as a consequence of the walk-off.
The FSF has appealed CAF’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in an effort to have the trophy reinstated, a process that remains ongoing.
The federation is expected to announce a new head coach ahead of upcoming international fixtures. No interim appointment has been named at this time.
Senegal are one of Africa’s most decorated footballing nations, having reached the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals and won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 under Aliou Cissé.
The 2026 World Cup exit in the round of 32, combined with the loss of the AFCON title through disciplinary action, represents a significant setback for a squad that still contains world-class talent. Whoever takes over will inherit a dressing room in need of rebuilding, a federation fighting a CAS battle over a stripped trophy, and the pressure of qualifying for the next cycle of continental and global competition.
