Blow for Senegal as Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr ruled out of opening AFCON 2027 qualifiers

Senegal will begin their qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations without two of their key attacking players, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr, who are set to miss the Lions of Teranga’s opening two matches due to disciplinary suspensions.

The West African giants will host Mozambique on 25 September in their opening qualifier before travelling to face Ethiopia four days later, on 29 September, as they seek to make a strong start to their campaign.

However, Senegal coach and his technical team will have to make do without both Ndiaye and Sarr for the two important fixtures. Their absence is not related to injury or fitness concerns but rather stems from sanctions imposed by the Confederation of African Football’s Disciplinary Committee.

The two players were among those punished following the highly controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco, played in Rabat on 18 January 2026.

The final was overshadowed by controversy, with tensions running high during and after the encounter. Following the match, CAF’s disciplinary authorities reviewed incidents involving members of the Senegal team, leading to sanctions against several individuals.

Ndiaye and Sarr were specifically found guilty of unsporting behaviour towards the referee during the controversial final and were subsequently handed suspensions by CAF’s Disciplinary Committee.

Crucially, the sanctions apply exclusively to competitions organised by CAF, meaning the pair remain eligible to represent Senegal in fixtures outside the Confederation’s competitions but must serve their bans in official CAF matches.

As a result, the opening two matchdays of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign provide the immediate opportunity for both players to serve their respective suspensions.

Their absence could present a significant selection challenge for Senegal, particularly considering the attacking qualities both players bring to the national team. Ndiaye’s creativity, ability to operate between the lines and versatility across the forward positions have made him an increasingly important member of the Lions of Teranga setup.

Sarr, meanwhile, offers pace, directness and experience at international level, with his ability to operate from wide areas providing Senegal with an important attacking outlet.

Their unavailability could open the door for other attacking players to stake their claims for regular places in the squad as Senegal begin their journey towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Lions of Teranga will be hoping to overcome the absence of the two Premier League stars when they welcome Mozambique on 25 September before turning their attention to the challenging trip to Ethiopia on 29 September.

Both Ndiaye and Sarr are expected to become available for selection again once they have completed their two-match CAF suspensions, potentially returning to strengthen Senegal’s attacking options later in the qualifying campaign.

For now, however, Senegal will have to launch their bid for another continental title without two of their established attacking weapons, as the disciplinary consequences from the dramatic 2025 AFCON final continue to affect the team months after the tournament concluded.