Senegal's football federation has dismissed national team coach Pape Bouna Thiaw following a deeply disappointing campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which saw the West African nation eliminated in the round of 32. The decision was announced late on Saturday night after a marathon 14-hour meeting of the Senegalese Football Federation's (FSF) executive committee, with a spokesman reading a brief communiqué confirming that procedures to end Thiaw's contract — along with those of his entire technical staff — had been set in motion. Federation president Abdoulaye Fall is expected to hold a press conference on Monday to provide a fuller account of the decision and address wider questions about how Senegal managed the tournament.
Thiaw's tenure ended after a turbulent World Cup in which Senegal, who arrived with genuine ambitions of a deep run, lost their opening group games to France (1–3) and Norway (2–3), before recovering with a commanding 5–0 victory over Iraq that secured their passage to the last 32 as one of the best third-placed sides. The campaign ended in heartbreak against Belgium: Senegal led 2–0 as late as the 86th minute, only to concede three times — the last in extra time — losing 3–2. The collapse drew widespread criticism at home, with petitions demanding Thiaw's dismissal attracting broad public support in the days that followed.
The fallout extended beyond results. Reports pointed to significant internal tensions within the squad, and midfielder Bamba Gaye had publicly threatened to retire from international football for as long as the current technical staff remained in place. Those divisions, combined with reported organisational failures within the national setup, compounded the pressure on Thiaw and the federation's leadership. Thiaw had also been set to serve a five-match ban beginning in September, stemming from his decision to lead the players off the pitch in protest at a disputed penalty call during the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco in January.
Thiaw, 45, replaced predecessor Aliou Cissé in late 2024 and guided Senegal to the AFCON title — albeit one later stripped by the Confederation of African Football over the protest incident — in what had been considered a promising start. Over 27 matches in charge, he recorded 16 victories. He reportedly departed for the World Cup without a signed contract and with several months of unpaid salary, a detail that underscored the administrative dysfunction that had shadowed the team throughout the tournament.
With the search for a successor now underway, French sports daily L'Équipe has reported that Patrick Vieira — a World Cup winner with France in 1998 who was born in Dakar, Senegal — is among the candidates being considered for the role. The FSF has given no official timeline for the appointment.