Patrick Vieira takes over Senegal role after federation shake-up

The Senegal Football Federation has named Patrick Vieira as the new head coach of the national team, following the dismissal of Pape Thiaw and his entire coaching staff after Senegal’s disappointing exit from the 2026 World Cup.

The appointment was announced on Tuesday by the official Senegal national team account on X, which welcomed Vieira to the country and said further details about his presentation and the next stages of the appointment process would be provided later.

“Patrick Vieira is the new coach of the Senegal senior national team. The date of his official presentation and the next steps in his appointment will be announced at a later stage. Welcome to Senegal, Coach,” the post said.

Vieira takes charge after the federation decided to end Thiaw’s tenure in the aftermath of Senegal’s last-16 defeat by Belgium at the 2026 World Cup. The elimination was described as particularly dramatic and painful, with the outcome bringing an abrupt end to a project that had been built around major ambitions.

The dismissal of Thiaw and his technical staff followed a meeting of the federation’s executive committee. In an official statement issued after that meeting, the federation said the decision had been reached after an assessment of the team’s performances and its future prospects.

It added that the change had been made “in the best interests of Senegalese football”.

Vieira, a France legend, will now be tasked with leading Senegal’s senior side after the federation opted for a complete change in the technical structure. His appointment represents the first major step in the response to the World Cup setback and follows the decision to remove the coaching team in its entirety.

The timing and format of Vieira’s official presentation have not yet been announced. The Senegal Football Federation said those details, along with the next steps in his installation, would be communicated later.

The former coach’s departure had been widely discussed in the local press, which referred to the decision as a “knockout blow” to a project that had carried significant expectations. That assessment followed the team’s dramatic defeat by Belgium in the round of 16, which ended Senegal’s campaign and prompted the federation to review the direction of the national side.

The federation’s announcement confirmed that Vieira would become coach of Senegal’s first team, while stopping short of providing further information about his contract, staff or schedule. The immediate focus is therefore on completing the formal appointment process and presenting the new manager to the public.

For Senegal, Vieira’s arrival marks a change in leadership after a World Cup exit that led to the removal of Thiaw and his coaching staff. The federation has made clear that its decision was based on both the team’s recent performance and its assessment of the national side’s future.