SENEGAL FIRES HEAD COACH PAPE THIAW AFTER WORLD CUP EXIT

The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football announced on Sunday that Pape Thiaw and his entire technical staff had been dismissed following a meeting on Saturday. The decision came nearly two weeks after Senegal's elimination from the World Cup. In a statement, the federation said its Executive Committee had decided the move was necessary "after a thorough evaluation of the sporting results and prospects of the national team". Abdoulaye Fall, the federation president, has been authorised to reorganise the national teams as required. A news conference to discuss the dismissal is scheduled for Monday.

Thiaw took charge of the Senegalese national team in 2024, having previously led a version of the team to victory in the 2022 African Nations Championship. At the World Cup, Senegal finished third in its group, losing 3-1 to France and drawing with Norway. The team advanced to the knockout round after defeating Iraq 5-0. In the Round of 32, Senegal faced Belgium and took a 2-0 lead before Belgium equalised in a three-minute span during the closing stages of normal time. Belgium won the match after a penalty was awarded in extra time. After the match, Thiaw acknowledged that the team "fell short" in its performance.

The dismissal represents a significant change for the Senegalese football programme following a tournament where the team entered as one of Africa's highest-ranked sides. No successor to Thiaw has been named. The federation's decision to grant Fall authority over the reorganisation of the national teams suggests further changes to the coaching structure may follow.