Senegal lineup vs. France: Predicted XI for World Cup 2026 Group I clash including Nicolas Jackson decision

Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson should instrumentality vantage of a teammate's fittingness concerns to commencement successful Tuesday's World Cup 2026 opener against France successful Group I.

The Chelsea-owned attacker was sent disconnected for 2 bookable offences successful Senegal's 0-0 gully with Saudi Arabia during their last warm-up friendly, successful which helium came connected arsenic a replacement for Cherif Ndiaye successful the 2nd half.

However, reddish cards successful accumulation matches mean thing for the World Cup, and Ndiaye was absent from grooming connected Saturday for unexplained reasons, raising doubts astir his availability for Tuesday.

Jackson should truthful regain his spot astatine the extremity of Pape Thiaw's attack, which besides features all-time starring scorer Sadio Mane, backmost astatine the Mundial pursuing his 2022 omission owed to injury.

Crystal Palace prima Ismaila Sarr - scorer of 21 goals successful each competitions past play - is expected to fend disconnected Iliman Ndiaye for the right-wing spot, portion Sunderland's Habib Diarra acts arsenic the astir precocious cardinal midfielder.

Diarra volition beryllium freed up acknowledgment to the beingness of Lamine Camara and Pape Gueye successful the treble pivot, the duo keeping Everton seasoned Idrissa Gueye astatine bay.

Defensive mainstay Kalidou Koulibaly arrived into campy with a limb injury, but the erstwhile Chelsea antheral has present made a implicit betterment and is connected people to articulation Krepin Diatta, Moussa Niakhate and El Hadji Malick Diouf up of Edouard Mendy. 

Senegal imaginable starting lineup:

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

> Click present to spot however France could enactment up against Senegal