2026 FIFA World Cup: CAF Releases Statement on Senegal After AFCON 2025 Drama
- CAF has sent a message to Senegal ahead of their participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The Teranga Lions are one of the record-breaking 10 African participants at the Mundial
- Senegal, Morocco and CAF remain locked in a legal battle over the AFCON 2025 final saga
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sent a message to Senegal ahead of their participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
CAF will have 10 representatives at the first edition of the expanded 48-nation tournament, the second highest behind UEFA, which has 16 countries.
Source: Getty Images
Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Tunisia, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, debutant Cape Verde and intercontinental playoff winner DR Congo.
How Senegal qualified for the World Cup
The Teranga Lions were one of the nine teams that picked up automatic slots in Africa, finishing top of Group B in the qualifying series.
Pape Thiaw’s team were unbeaten in the series, winning seven matches and drawing three against DR Congo, Sudan and Togo, and conceded only three goals in 10 matches.
Their 3-2 win away in DR Congo was the most consequential result and eventually helped them finish two points ahead of the Leopards.
CAF sends message to Senegal
CAF published a statement on its website describing the Teranga Lions of Senegal as a team with the quality to go far in the tournament.
Senegal have been one of the best nations in African football in the past decade, and before Morocco’s record-breaking run in 2018, they were one of the African teams to reach the quarter-final.
According to FIFA, Senegal, led by indigenous head coach Pape Thiaw have a tough task in the group stage against France, Norway and Iraq in Group L.
The Teranga Lions shocked the world when they beat defending champions France in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup in Korea-Japan.
Senegal, again, will rely on the experience and leadership of players like goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Sadio Mane to navigate the tough group.
The Lions head to the tournament as one of the two ‘winners’ of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, alongside host nation Morocco, which CAF declared as winners.
Source: Getty Images
Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 in the final, thanks to Pape Gueye’s goal, but were stripped of the title by the CAF Appeal Board after Morocco appealed an initial judgement.
The Senegalese Football Federation appealed the case at the Court of Arbitration for Sports, which is not expected to give a verdict until later in the year.
This legal dispute rages on between Senegal, Morocco and CAF as the two nations head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup claiming to be African champions.
African countries’ World Cup qualification fee
Legit.ng previously analysed how much African countries will earn for qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, even before kicking the ball.
Each qualified country will earn $13.5 million in preparation and participation fees, a huge sum which the Super Eagles of Nigeria missed out on.
Source: Legit.ng
