How Senegal can still book World Cup knockout spot despite shaky campaign
By Joel Masibo, June 27, 2026Senegal have given themselves a fighting chance of reaching the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, although their qualification now depends on results elsewhere.
The African side endured a difficult start to the tournament, having entered the competition after the disappointment of losing their Africa Cup of Nations crown away from the field. Their World Cup campaign also opened with two challenging opponents in France and Norway.
Despite putting up a spirited display, Senegal fell 3-1 to France in their opening match as Kylian Mbappe scored twice. Their second outing also ended in defeat, with Erling Haaland netting twice to inspire Norway to a narrow 3-2 victory.
However, Senegal responded emphatically in their final Group I fixture, thrashing a 10-man Iraq side 5-0. Habib Diarra opened the scoring before Ismaila Sarr added another. Pape Gueye struck twice, while Iliman Ndiaye also found the net to complete an impressive performance. The defeat capped a disappointing tournament for Iraq, who had already suffered heavy losses against both France and Norway.
The convincing victory saw Senegal finish third in Group I with three points and a goal difference of +2.
Qualification path
That record leaves them in contention to qualify as one of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams. The ranking of third-placed nations is determined first by points earned, with goal difference serving as the deciding factor if multiple teams finish level.
Senegal’s hopes now rest on the remaining group-stage matches. They have already secured a better third-place finish than Scotland in Group C and South Korea in Group A.
Their chances will improve further as Spain already defeated Uruguay in Group H. In addition, Egypt must overcome Iran, while New Zealand must fail to beat Belgium. If those outcomes occur, Senegal will secure a place in the last 32.
The final verdict on Senegal’s World Cup journey will therefore depend on the remaining fixtures in Groups G, H, J, K and L over the coming days.