- Tue, Jun 16 — France vs Senegal — New York/New Jersey Stadium, New York · Group I · 3:00 PM ET
- Mon, Jun 22 — Norway vs Senegal — New York/New Jersey Stadium, New York · Group I · 8:00 PM ET
- Fri, Jun 26 — Senegal vs Iraq — Toronto Stadium, Toronto · Group I · 3:00 PM ET
Senegal World Cup 2026 Kickoff Times
All Senegal kickoff times are shown in your local timezone, auto-detected from your browser. Senegal play their group stage matches in New York and Toronto. Use the timezone selector above to convert match times to ET, GMT, CET, IST, AEST, or any timezone. Set your available hours to see which Senegal matches fit your schedule. For the full tournament schedule, the printable schedule, or a custom calendar, pick the tool that fits.
About Senegal at World Cup 2026
Senegal have quietly become one of the most consistent African nations at major tournaments, and their return to the World Cup feels like a natural progression rather than a surprise. They've made the knockout rounds in two of their three previous appearances, reaching the quarter-finals in their stunning 2002 debut and the round of 16 in 2022. The only blip was missing 2010 and 2014 entirely.
The 2002 World Cup remains one of the great tournament stories. Senegal, ranked 42nd in the world, beat France 1-0 in the opening match, the reigning champions and heavy favorites. They went on to beat Sweden in the round of 16 before losing to Turkiye in the quarter-finals. That campaign announced Senegal as a serious football nation and inspired a generation of players who now fill rosters across Europe's top leagues.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations added a complicated layer to their story. They reached the final and initially lost, but the title was subsequently awarded to them following Senegal's protest against refereeing decisions. Whether you consider them African champions or not depends on your perspective, but the squad's quality is undeniable regardless of that particular trophy.
The squad is packed with players familiar to European football audiences. Sadio Mane remains the star attraction, Nicolas Jackson provides Premier League goalscoring instinct, Pape Matar Sarr brings energy from midfield, and Iliman Ndiaye adds creativity. Coach Pape Thiaw guided them through qualifying unbeaten, scoring 22 goals in 10 matches. This is a deep, talented, well-organized team that knows how to win at tournament level.
Group I with France, Norway, and Iraq is tough at the top. France are overwhelming favorites to finish first, leaving Senegal and Norway to battle for second. That matchup could be one of the group stage's most compelling encounters, pitting Senegalese pace and organization against Norwegian firepower. The Iraq match should be winnable, setting up a scenario where the Norway game becomes a straight shootout for advancement.
Reaching the knockout rounds is the minimum expectation, and a repeat of the 2002 quarter-final run isn't out of the question. Senegal have the blend of tournament experience, individual quality, and tactical discipline to beat anyone on their day. The challenge is consistency across multiple matches, especially in the North American heat. If they can handle the conditions and keep their key players fit, Senegal could be the African team that goes furthest. They've done it before, and this squad might be even better than the one that shocked France 24 years ago.