Senegal’s Lions of Teranga face disappointing 2026 with AFCON exit and World Cup Round of 32 finish
A controversial AFCON final overturn and an early World Cup exit made 2026 a year Senegal's football faithful would rather forget
In January 2026, Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations final. Players celebrated. The president rewarded each of the 28 squad members with approximately $134,892 and land plots.
During the match, Senegal staged a protest-related walk-off. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) opened disciplinary proceedings and ultimately ruled the match invalid. By March 2026, CAF had overturned the result entirely, awarding Morocco a 3-0 forfeit victory and, with it, the AFCON title.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino weighed in, calling the pitch walk-off “unacceptable.”
Senegal opened their World Cup campaign with a 1-3 loss to France. The second group match saw Senegal beat Iraq 5-0. Senegal finished the group stage with two defeats from three matches, scraping through to the Round of 32 in the expanded 48-team format. Belgium ended Senegal’s tournament in the Round of 32.
Senegal reached the World Cup quarterfinals in 2002 and won AFCON in 2022. Entering 2026, the Lions of Teranga were considered among Africa’s top sides.