Senegal is set to face Togo in a pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade, aiming to stay on track for a place at the tournament.
Despite remaining unbeaten in the qualifiers, the Teranga Lions have dropped points in three of their five matches, leaving them with little room for further missteps.
The campaign began under Aliou Cissé, who led the team to two wins and two draws before his departure in December 2024. His exit paved the way for Pape Thiaw to take over as head coach.
However, Thiaw’s tenure started on a frustrating note, as Senegal was held to a goalless draw by Group B leaders Sudan in his first qualifier in charge—a match where both sides squandered key chances.
That result saw Senegal slip to third in the group with nine points, trailing DR Congo by one and Sudan by two. With only the group winner securing automatic qualification, a victory on Tuesday is essential to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
On paper, Senegal enters the match as favorites, but history suggests a tough battle awaits. Their last five encounters with Togo have resulted in one win each and three draws, including a goalless stalemate in the reverse fixture.
Interestingly, all their past meetings have come in World Cup qualifiers, with both nations winning only when playing at home.
Togo, meanwhile, is still searching for its first victory in Group B, having drawn four of its five matches and lost once. On Saturday, the Sparrowhawks played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with Mauritania, scoring both the opening and closing goals.
Currently sitting fourth in the group with four points, their chances of making a second-ever World Cup appearance—after their debut in 2006—are hanging by a thread.
Their last visit to Senegal during their 2006 qualification campaign ended in a hard-fought 2-2 draw, a result they would gladly take again.
Senegal’s lineup could feature debutants Antoine Mendy and 19-year-old Assane Diao, both of whom earned their first caps against Sudan.
Star forward Sadio Mané returned to the starting XI in that match after recovering from a thigh injury, but Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson remains sidelined with a lingering hamstring issue.
For Togo, Thibault Klidje and Kevin Denkey were the goalscorers in their draw against Mauritania, with Denkey’s goal placing him joint-seventh on Togo’s all-time scoring list.
Goalkeeper Malcolm Barcola is expected to retain his place, backed by a defensive trio of Kevin Boma, Kennedy Boateng, and Josue Homawoo.
Probable Lineups
Senegal:
Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Mendy; Gueye, Gueye; Mané, Camara, Sarr; Dia
Togo:
Barcola; Boma, Boateng, Djene, Atte, Homawoo; Agbagno, Karim, Annor; Klidje, Denkey
Senegal will be determined to claim all three points and keep their World Cup qualification dream alive, while Togo will be hoping to pull off an upset. With history, stakes, and pride on the line, this promises to be an intense showdown.
