Pape Thiaw has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Senegal national team following the Teranga Lions’ exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Senegal’s World Cup campaign came to an end at the Round of 32 stage after a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Belgium.
The Teranga Lions surrendered a two-goal advantage after dominating the game for most of the match, conceding three goals in the final stages to crash out of the tournament.
According to French publication L’Equipe, the Senegal Football Federation (FSF) has taken steps to end Thiaw’s tenure, with the decision communicated in an official statement released on Saturday, July 11, 2026.
The federation’s Executive Committee confirmed that proceedings had been opened to terminate the contracts of Thiaw and his technical team.
“Following the meeting of the Executive Committee (of the FSF), it was decided to initiate a procedure to terminate the functions of national coach Pape Thiaw as well as the entire technical staff,” the statement read.
Thiaw took charge of the Teranga Lions in December 2023, initially stepping in as interim coach before being handed the role permanently.
During his time in charge, he guided Senegal to success at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where they lifted the title, adding another major trophy to the country’s football history.
A victory that was later overturned by CAF’s Appeals Board, with the matter now awaiting a final ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
