Senegal’s national football team held a farewell dinner ahead of its departure for the FIFA World Cup in the United States, as the Teranga Lions prepare for the global tournament.
The event took place on the pitch at the Stade Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, where players, coaching staff, and administrative officials gathered for a final send-off before travelling.
According to team officials, the gathering was designed to strengthen unity and reinforce team spirit within the squad ahead of the competition.
The dinner brought together the full delegation in a symbolic show of solidarity as Senegal look to represent Africa on the world stage.
The team enters the tournament following a turbulent period surrounding its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Senegal had initially been declared winners of the final after a 1–0 extra-time victory over Morocco in Rabat on January 18, 2026, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal.
However, the match later became controversial after Senegal players briefly walked off in protest over a late penalty awarded to Morocco.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Board subsequently ruled that the walk-off constituted a forfeiture under competition rules.
The governing body overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3–0 victory and handing them the title.
Senegal rejected the decision, describing it as unfair and unprecedented, and indicated plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Senegalese Football Federation maintains that the match was completed and that play resumed under the referee’s control before Senegal’s extra-time victory stood.
Despite the dispute, attention has now shifted to the World Cup, where the Teranga Lions aim to refocus and build on their recent performances as they seek success on the international stage.
