Senegal’s coach, Pape Thiaw, has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to defeat France in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Thiaw believes Senegal possesses a squad with a significant number of world-class players capable of achieving an upset. He stated he would not be surprised by a Senegalese victory against the reigning World Cup finalists. The match marks a key early fixture for both nations in their qualifying campaign. This sentiment underscores Senegal’s ambition and perceived strength heading into the competition. The game is anticipated to be a challenging contest, but Thiaw’s statement signals a strong belief in his players’ capabilities.