Pape Thiaw fired as Senegal coach after disappointing FIFA World Cup

Senegal part ways with their head coach after the national side’s elimination from the tournament at the round of 32 stage.

Senegal ‌fired coach Pape Thiaw on ⁠Saturday, ⁠saying their results at the World Cup necessitated a change at the ⁠helm of the team.

Senegal had hoped to be contenders at the World ⁠Cup, after beating Morocco in January’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, but had a disappointing tournament in which they lost their ‌opening two group games to France and Norway and let slip a 2-0 lead with five minutes remaining against Belgium in the last 32 before going down 3-2 in extra time.

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Thiaw, 45, ⁠was due to begin ⁠a five-match ban in September at the start of the 2027 Cup of Nations qualifiers because he ⁠led a walk-off of players in protest at the ⁠penalty that Morocco were awarded ⁠in the 2025 final in Rabat.

French daily L’Equipe reported that Patrick Vieira, the French World Cup winner who ‌was born in Dakar, was among the favourites to take over.