Senegal sack head coach Pape Thiaw after disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign

Thiaw’s time in charge was not without its share of bizarre headlines, most notably during the Africa Cup of Nations in January. Although Senegal initially celebrated a final victory, Thiaw sparked controversy by ordering his players off the pitch when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty, which Brahim Diaz subsequently missed. The ensuing 17-minute delay cast a shadow over the tournament, and while Pape Gueye eventually scored an extra-time winner, Morocco were awarded the victory by an appeals committee two months later.

This incident, along with the subsequent legal battles regarding the AFCON final result, created a sense of instability around the national team setup. The tension behind the scenes was further exposed when Gueye announced, following Senegal’s World Cup elimination, that he would be “taking a break” from playing for his country while the current management remained in charge.