Salary Row with Coach Pape Thiaw Blamed for Senegal’s World Cup Exit
At a press conference in Dakar, Senegal Football Federation president Abdoulaye Fall said head coach Pape Thiaw’s late request for a pay rise disrupted the team during the 2026 World Cup. Thiaw had asked to increase his salary from 20 million to 30 million CFA. Negotiations dragged on until the day before their second group match against Norway, when he refused to sit in the dugout without a signed contract. Fall added that distrust between Thiaw and officials undermined team morale. Senegal lost to France and Norway, and although they beat Iraq, they fell 3-2 to Belgium in the Round of 32. Earlier in the year, Thiaw guided Senegal to the Africa Cup of Nations title but the team was later stripped of the trophy after walking off the pitch in the final.
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