France vs Senegal: World Cup 2026 preview

France open their 2026 World Cup campaign on 16 June 2026 at 15:00 EST (19:00 GMT) against Senegal. The fixture is a rematch of their famous 2002 meeting, when Senegal upset the defending champions 1-0. France were 2022 runners-up and bring a squad noted for its depth.

Depth is never an issue for Les Bleus. Kylian Mbappe is expected to captain despite a recent thigh issue, and only Olivier Giroud (57) has scored more for France than Mbappe’s 56. Ousmane Dembele, fresh from a Champions League-winning season in which he scored 35, could seek his first World Cup goal alongside clubmates Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola, while William Saliba looks set to anchor the back four.

Eduardo Camavinga did not make the 26-man group. Senegal’s experienced spine features Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy, with Mane again the team’s talisman. Pape Sarr and Nicolas Jackson are other players to watch.

france, senegal, world cup, 2026, kylian mbappe, ousmane dembele, sadio mane, olivier giroud, kalidou koulibaly, edouard mendy