France vs Senegal - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Seeking a sensational repetition of their 2002 occurrence against the World Cup 2026 favourites, Senegal pit their wits against France successful Tuesday's Group I opener successful East Rutherford.

The deposed African champions memorably stunned Les Bleus 1-0 implicit 2 decades ago, the opening of a swift extremity for the then-defending champions.

Match preview

Trailing lone Spain successful the favourites database successful our World Cup betting strategy, France person galore fans' votes to exorcise the demons of 2022 and nonstop trailblazing caput manager Didier Deschamps disconnected connected the highest of highs this summer.

The lone surviving antheral to person go a World Cup victor arsenic a subordinate and manager, Deschamps volition vacate the hotseat for Zinedine Zidane erstwhile the 2026 variation draws to an extremity - an variation successful which the erstwhile h2o bearer tin interruption the all-time grounds for manager victories.

Deschamps has overseen 14 lucifer wins astatine the Mundial, and a cleanable radical signifier volition spot the Bleus brag overtake the existent champion of 16 achieved by Helmut Schon, but that ought to beryllium easier said than done.

Erling Haaland's Norway volition besides airs a stern trial to France's World Cup credentials, but the 2018 winners dropped conscionable 2 points successful Qualifying to scope the Finals for the eighth clip successful a row; 4 of the past 7 tournaments person besides seen Les Bleus marque the showpiece match.

A 2-1 affable nonaccomplishment to Ivory Coast connected June 4 led to immoderate uncertainty astir France's World Cup favourites credentials, but the Michael Olise-inspired Bleus got backmost connected way with a 3-1 occurrence implicit Northern Ireland 4 days later, meaning that they person present scored aggregate goals successful 9 of their past 10 fixtures.

Also navigating their World Cup qualification run without a azygous defeat, Senegal person a 3rd successive Mundial quality to look guardant to, aft a 2022 last-16 exit succeeded a group-stage elimination successful Russia.

The Lions of Teranga took location the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations trophy successful betwixt those 2 World Cup campaigns, and they could inactive assertion to person conquered the continent successful the 2025 variation too, if the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturns the landmark CAF ruling that went successful Morocco's favour.

Since 'defeating' the Atlas Lions successful the AFCON showpiece, Pape Thiaw's men person bested Peru and Gambia successful friendlies, but their preparations concluded successful dismal fashion; a 3-2 nonaccomplishment to co-hosts USA preceding a 0-0 gully with Saudi Arabia.

The second effect snapped Senegal's 17-match scoring series crossed each competitions, but besides marked a respectable 5th cleanable expanse from 7 for the Lions of Teranga, whose caput manager has the fondest memories of France astatine the World Cup.

Indeed, Thiaw was a subordinate of the Senegal squad that got the amended of Les Bleus successful Seoul 24 years ago, though helium was forced to ticker connected from the seat arsenic the precocious Papa Bouba Diop struck the game's lone goal.

France signifier (all competitions):

Senegal signifier (all competitions):

Team News

France were rocked by reports that Arsenal's William Saliba could miss the full tourney aft aggravating a backmost wounded successful the Champions League final, but fears implicit the centre-back were rapidly allayed, and Saliba has returned to afloat training up of Tuesday's match.

Fellow defender Jules Kounde is besides bully to spell contempt straining a musculus during the triumph implicit Northern Ireland, portion fig 1 Mike Maignan missed grooming connected Saturday for load absorption reasons but is not nursing thing serious.

Headlining a fear-inducing beforehand four, Kylian Mbappe enters the World Cup connected 56 goals for France, putting him conscionable 1 shy of the all-time men's grounds acceptable by Olivier Giroud successful Qatar.

A antheral who volition surely go Les Bleus' starring antheral goalscorer comes face-to-face with Senegal's unrivalled nett rippler, arsenic Sadio Mane - absent from the 2022 World Cup owed to wounded - is acceptable and raring to spell this clip around.

There are a fewer bumps and bruises successful Thiaw's squad, arsenic Assane Diao missed grooming earlier this week owed to a contusion, Cherif Ndiaye was absent connected Saturday for unexplained reasons, and Everton seasoned Idrissa Gueye did not implicit the afloat league arsenic a precautionary measure.

However, determination are nary large concerns implicit immoderate of the trio, though Ndiaye is apt to suffer retired to Nicolas Jackson for the fig 9 spot, successful spite of the Chelsea man's sending-off against Saudi Arabia.

France imaginable starting lineup:

Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Olise, Doue, Mbappe; Dembele

Senegal imaginable starting lineup:

Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Diouf; Camara, P. Gueye; Sarr, Diarra, Mane; Jackson

We say: France 3-1 Senegal

France person seldom failed to bring the amusement successful caller internationals, scoring and conceding successful each of their past 5 games, portion each of their past 9 person gone supra the three-goal mark.

Tuesday's heavyweight tussle should beryllium nary antithetic owing to the violative prime connected show, but the sheer firepower astatine Deschamps's disposal should comfortably transportation the 2022 runners-up implicit the line.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.