2026 World Cup: France vs. Senegal—Probable Lineups

The very long group stage of the 2026 World Cup continues, with Group I kicking off on Tuesday: taking the field at 9 p.m. Italian time (3 p.m. local time), France and Senegal will face off in a rematch of the opening match between Les Bleus and the Lions of Teranga at the 2002 World Cup, when the Senegalese national team stunned the world by defeating the then-defending champions 1-0 with a goal by the late Papa Bouba Diop. The match will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, a few kilometers from downtown New York, with Iranian referee Faghani officiating.

France is, without a doubt, one of the favorites to win the tournament. Champions in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, the French national team finds itself playing in the World Cup in the United States for the first time in history, having not participated in the 1994 tournament. On that occasion, Les Bleus saw their qualification slip away at the very last moment, as Bulgaria scored the goal that allowed them to overtake France, shocking fans and experts alike. It’s yet another of the many stories that demonstrate how, in soccer, you can never take anything for granted.

Senegal, which had viewed its extraordinary run in the 2002 World Cup as a near-isolated event, has become a powerhouse of African soccer in recent years and will compete in its third consecutive World Cup in 2026. However, their run in Korea and Japan remains their most successful: the team, then coached by Bruno Metsu (another iconic figure who passed away far too soon), reached the quarterfinals, where their run was halted only by a golden goal from Turkey’s Ilhan Mansiz.

Probable Lineups

FRANCE (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembelé, Olise, Doué; Mbappé. Head Coach: Deschamps.

SENEGAL (4-2-3-1): Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhaté, Diouf; Camara, P. Gueye; Sarr, Ndiaye, Mané; Jackson. Head Coach: Thiaw.