Pape Thiaw, who represented Senegal as a player during the 2002 World Cup, has been removed from his position as national team manager. The decision by the Senegal Football Federation (FSF) arrives shortly after the squad’s elimination in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup. Thiaw had been leading the Teranga Lions since December 2024.
Senegal struggled during their initial group stage matches, suffering losses to both France and Norway. Despite those setbacks, the team secured a spot in the knockout phase after a commanding 5-0 victory over Iraq allowed them to advance as one of the top-performing third-place sides. Their tournament journey ended in a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Belgium, where they squandered a 2-0 lead by conceding two late goals and an extra-time penalty.
The fallout from the loss included midfielder Pape Gueye announcing a hiatus from international duty as long as the current coaching staff remained in power. The FSF stated that the dismissal was finalized after reviewing the team’s sporting performance and future goals.
Prior to the World Cup, Senegal had been embroiled in a dispute with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) regarding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Thiaw was heavily involved in a controversy during that final against Morocco, where he ordered his team to exit the pitch following a stoppage-time penalty decision. Although the match eventually finished with a Senegalese victory, Caf later awarded the title to Morocco. Senegal has since taken the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in hopes of overturning the ruling.
