France vs Senegal Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
The star-studded two-time world champions and 2022 runners-up France kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against a strong Senegal side.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website & app / USA – FOX One
France preview: Star-studded French
Didier Deschamps is in charge of what is a very impressive, star-studded French squad. The 1998 and 2018 winners perhaps boast a more impressive squad than their previously stacked iterations of the recent past.
The French come into the tournament on the back of an excellent March international break, too, whereby they flexed their muscles to defeat Brazil 2-1 and then again to beat Colombia by three goals to one - with both games in New York.
France were a little more unconvincing in their pre-tournament friendlies, though, as they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at home to Cote d'Ivoire before Michael Olise scored a hat-trick in an unconvincing performance to defeat Northern Ireland by three goals to one.
Senegal preview: Strong Senegalese
Senegal defeated Morocco in controversial circumstances in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations final earlier this year. Those controversial circumstances, though, involved the Senegalese protesting the officiating by walking off the pitch at one stage and, as a result, CAF have since stripped them of their victory and awarded the trophy to Morocco.
Senegal reached the round of 16 of FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and the Lions of Teranga, now under the management of Pape Thiaw, will believe they have enough to be something of a force once again in North America this summer.
Senegal were fun to watch in a 3-2 loss to co-hosts USA in their first pre-tournament friendly before a rotated side struggled to a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia, with Nicolas Jackson sent off late on.
France team news: Saliba injury
Having been key to Arsenal's impressive season this season, centre-back William Saliba is a major doubt for their opening game against the Senegalese. The defender had missed a couple of training sessions in the build-up but he has returned to training and is now available.
The French also confirmed that one of their left-back options, Theo Hernandez also missed training last week but is fit, fighting for the starting spot alongside Lucas Digne.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Doue, Kante, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Mbappe
Unavailable:
Questionable: Saliba (Injured)
Senegal team news: Koulibaly returns
Pape Thiaw has a strong squad with some newer and younger players having come through the ranks but they retain a very experienced core. Perhaps most key to that experienced core is centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly - and he has returned to full fitness after finishing the Saudi Pro League season out injured.
There doesn't appear to be any other issues either and they will be expected to name a full-strength side. That will see them play a 4-3-3 system. There is a debate around who may start up-front with the possibility of playing Sadio Mane through the middle in order to accommodate both Ismaila Sarr and Iliman Ndiaye at the expense of Nicolas Jackson.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, E. Diouf; Diarra, Camara, P. Gueye; I. Ndiaye, Mane, I. Sarr
Unavailable:
Questionable: C. Ndiaye (Injured)
France’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Ousmane Dembele ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Michael Olise ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Kylian Mbappe
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Kylian Mbappe
Free kicks: Michael Olise
Corners: Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki
Senegal’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Edouard Mendy ($4.5m) – Goalkeeper
El Hadji Malick Diouf ($4.1m) – Defender
Sadio Mane ($7.6m) – Midfielder
Matchday 1 captain pick: Sadio Mane
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson
Free kicks: Sadio Mane
Corners: Sadio Mane, Krepin Diatta
Key stats
- Senegal shocked France by defeating the defending champions 1-0 in Seoul in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup in 2002. Papa Bouba Diop’s 30th-minute strike brought the West African side victory on their debut, and they would go through to the next round while the holders went out after just three games in which they failed to score. That remains the teams’ only encounter.
- Winners in 1998 and 2018, France have lined up in 16 previous editions of the FIFA World Cup. Their place at the 2026 tournament marks an eighth consecutive appearance, with their last absence dating back to 1994.
- Les Bleus have contested the trophy decider in four of the last seven editions of the tournament, including back-to-back final appearances in 2018 and 2022. Didier Deschamps’ charges came within touching distance of retaining their title on Qatari soil, ultimately losing out to Argentina in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.
- France secured their first World Cup crown on home soil in 1998, when they defeated Brazil 3-0 in the tournament decider. That edition remains the last one at which the hosts have reigned supreme.
- At the 2022 global showpiece, Kylian Mbappe became only the second player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup final, matching the feat achieved by England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966. The fleet-footed Frenchman finished the tournament with eight goals, a tally that was enough to earn him the adidas Golden Boot.
- Didier Deschamps is making his 20th appearance as a head coach in a FIFA World Cup match, a total previously reached by only six others: Helmut Schon (25), Carlos Alberto Parreira (23), Luiz Felipe Scolari (21), Bora Milutinovic (20), Oscar Tabarez (20) and Mario Zagallo (20).
- France have lost their opening match only once in their last eight FIFA World Cup appearances (W5 D2), the 1-0 defeat to Senegal in 2002. They have won the three most recent.
- Senegal are making their fourth FIFA World Cup appearance in 2026, having now qualified for three consecutive editions. This follows a 16-year gap between their debut in 2002 and their return in 2018.
- The Lions of Teranga delivered one of the most memorable World Cup debuts in 2002, reaching the quarter-finals after a stunning 1-0 victory over defending champions France in their opening match. They remain the only African nation to reach the quarter-finals in their first appearance.
- Senegal have won their opening match in two of their three previous FIFA World Cup participations, with the lone defeat coming in 2022 against the Netherlands (0-2).
- Senegal coach Pape Thiaw was a member of the Lions of Teranga squad that graced the quarter‑finals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However, he did not make it off the bench in four of the team’s five outings, including the tournament opener against the French.
- Kalidou Koulibaly, Ismaila Sarr and Idrissa Gana Gueye are participating in their third FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Senegalese players ever to achieve this milestone.
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France vs Senegal prediction
Senegal will take hope and inspiration from their opening game in 2002, where they defeated the then all-conquering and dominant Les Bleus. They have the experience and nous to perhaps control France's best area of the pitch, their attack, while also possessing enough in their own final third to punish any complacency. The sheer strength and winning mentality of the France squad marks them out as inevitable favourites, but it may not be straightforward at the MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, especially based on their performances in pre-tournament friendlies, particularly against the Ivorians.
France vs Senegal betting tip: France to win & both teams to score
