Having waited patiently, the time has finally arrived for France and Senegal to get their World Cup 2026 campaigns underway with a fascinating meeting in New Jersey.
Les Bleus will be targeting a third consecutive final place having won the tournament in 2018 and lost arguably the greatest final of all time to Argentina in Qatar four years ago.
But Senegal – who were controversially stripped of their Afcon title after farcical scenes in the final against Morocco – will prove tough opposition in a stacked Group I, which also contains Erling Haaland-led Norway.
Both sides have had a mixed build-up to the tournament, with Senegal beating Peru and Gambia before losing to co-hosts USA and drawing with Saudi Arabia, while Didier Deschamps’ men lost 2-1 to the Ivory Coast before seeing off Northern Ireland 3-1.
Kick-off in New Jersey is 3pm ET (8pm BST) and you can follow every meaningful kick right here.
What will Deschamps’ legacy be?
Deschamps has nonetheless been damned with faint praise, in part because he has had such talented players, in part because of his pragmatic bent. There is no such footballing philosophy as Deschampsball; yet no other manager has seen his side score seven goals in World Cup finals.
The counter-argument is to note Deschamps’ France reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024 without scoring an open-play goal; they instead had two own goals, one penalty and a successful penalty shootout. France were less than the sum of their parts then.
Deschamps nears finish line
When Didier Deschamps became manager of France, it was so long ago that Jose Mourinho was in charge of Real Madrid – the first time around, that is. It may be more pertinent to say that Sir Alex Ferguson was at Manchester United, Sir Kenny Dalglish had just left Liverpool and Tottenham were turning to Andre Villas-Boas. Another time.
Deschamps can feel the timeless figure who has spanned eras, but one is ending. After 14 years, he is standing down. It may be after 188 games, too, if he steers France to a third consecutive World Cup final or, indeed, a third-place match. He will fall just short of Joachim Low’s record for a European manager, of almost 15 years and 198 matches at the helm.
His immediate predecessor as a World Cup-winning coach could provide one comparison. Low stayed too long with Germany. If France flounder in the United States, the accusation will be that Deschamps has done likewise, especially as his former teammate, turned triple Champions League-winning manager, Zinedine Zidane seems to have spent years waiting to succeed him.
Senegal players to watch
Star player: Sadio Mane. The talisman was praised for his leadership when he convinced Senegal to return to the pitch and end the walk-off protest during the Africa Cup of Nations final. Mane then indicated that he had retired from international football after lifting the trophy, but reversed his decision to play at the World Cup. The explosive speed of his Liverpool peak is no longer there, but the game intelligence remains.
Breakout talent: Mamadou Sarr. The 20-year-old centre-back replaced captain Kalidou Koulibaly when he was suspended for the Africa Cup of Nations final, but he was outstanding. Already at Chelsea, where he was recalled from his loan at Strasbourg, Sarr is the future of the Senegal defence.
France players to watch
Star player: Kylian Mbappe. With 12 goals in just 14 appearances at the World Cup, and by the age of just 27, Mbappe will be motivated by his path towards further greatness as he returns to the tournament that has so far defined his career. While his last two seasons with Real Madrid have not been easy, even if his goalscoring record has remained outstanding, it feels as if the superstar captain has a lot to prove, to a lot of people, as he leads Les Bleus.
Breakout talent: Desire Doue. The winger was playing in the Under-19 Euros two years ago when France reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024. Now he is likely to form part of a star-studded attack after proving his talents on the Champions League stage with PSG. With mesmerising feet and an eye for goal, the 20-year-old is rightfully up there with Lamine Yamal as one of the most exciting youngsters to be appearing at their first World Cup this summer.
Senegal squad
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Mory Diaw (Le Havre)
Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), El-Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Bara Ndiaye (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris Saint-Germain), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace)
France squad
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Robin Risser (Lens), Brice Samba (Rennes).
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain), Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamenaco (Bayern Munich).
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Fenerbahce), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Jean-Phillipe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)
Senegal tournament preview
The chaos of Rabat is still unresolved but Senegal’s reputation on the pitch remains. A second Africa Cup of Nations title in four years should have crowned Senegal as one of the finest sides the continent has produced but the decision to overturn the result of the final and name Morocco champions ensures there is unfinished business for the Lions of Teranga.
An experienced, settled squad led by the veterans Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye is complemented by the many fresh talents playing at the highest levels of the European game, such as Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye, Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr and Sunderland’s Habib Diarra. The Premier League connection is instructive: last year, Senegal became the first African team to beat England when they won 3-1 at the City Ground in Nottingham, and that famous result should give Pape Thiaw’s side plenty of confidence ahead of decisive clashes against European nations in France and Norway.
Thiaw was handed a five-game ban for leading his Senegal team off the pitch during the carnage of the Africa Cup of Nations final, although that punishment will not apply to World Cup games. Thiaw’s players kept their Afcon winner’s medals and they will enter the tournament with heads held high, believing they are African champions, and hoping for fewer obstacles to overcome.
France tournament preview
What’s French for firepower? Because oh la la there’s a lot of it in this Les Bleus squad. Before we get carried away, though, let’s remember that France managed just four goals at Euro 2024 and only one of them came from open play, in the 2-1 semi-final defeat to champions Spain. Kylian Mbappe was derailed by a broken nose, and the tactics of Didier Deschamps were considered to be overly cautious and restrictive.
This will be the last time Deschamps leads France at a tournament, after overseeing their 2018 World Cup victory and run to the final in Qatar, so how does he get the balance right this time? There has been a French evolution since Euro 2024, mainly due to the success of Paris Saint-Germain. The development of Osmanne Dembele into a Ballon d’Or winner brings another dimension. Then there’s Desire Doue, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki… tricks, dribbling, style. Get it right and France could be irresistible.
Deschamps, though, will be without the retired Antoine Griezmann, a key figure for his selfless work at the last World Cup. N’Golo Kante, at 35, will be tasked with holding the midfield together along with Aurelien Tchouameni, with his Real Madrid team-mate Eduardo Camavinga a notable omission that may leave France a little light in the middle. If Deschamps does not get his formula right it could be a decision that comes back to haunt him.
Team news
Initial concerns over William Saliba, who aggravated a back injury during Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat, have been allayed as the centre-back returned to full training before this week’s opener.
Jules Kounde picked up a muscle issue against Northern Ireland but has also recovered in time to feature.
Senegal may be without Assane Diao, who missed training last week with a contusion, while Cherif Ndiaye is also a doubt.
