Senegal faces internal crisis ahead of 2026 World Cup

The Senegal national team is preparing for the 2026 World Cup under significant internal pressure. At the heart of the issue is head coach Pape Thiaw, whose contract expired back in February but has yet to be renewed by the national football leadership.

Reports suggest deep-seated tension between Thiaw's staff and football officials. The main points of contention include substantial wage arrears, poor maintenance of training facilities, and inadequate organization for the team's travel to the tournament in the United States.

The situation escalated to the point where Thiaw initially refused to travel with the team to the World Cup. It required direct intervention from the president of the Senegalese Football Federation to convince the coach to join the delegation.

The wider context is that Senegal, as a recent Africa Cup of Nations finalist, enters the tournament in a group alongside France, Norway, and Iraq. These ongoing off-pitch issues threaten the team's ability to perform on the global stage.