Senegal’s U20 national team, reigning champions of the WAFU Zone A/B tournament, have yet to begin preparations for this year’s competition, less than two weeks before its scheduled start in Ghana.
The regional tournament, which runs from 15 to 30 June in Prampram, marks its return after a six-year hiatus and will bring together thirteen teams from West Africa.
Matches will take place at the Ghana Soccer Centre of Excellence, with Senegal drawn into Group C alongside Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Sierra Leone.
While rival nations have already commenced training camps and squad preparations, the Senegalese side remains conspicuously inactive.
Sources indicate that the team is still awaiting official clearance from national sports authorities to initiate its pre-tournament programme.
Head coach Serigne Saliou Dia and his technical staff have not yet called up players or announced a training schedule.
With just 13 days remaining until the opening match, concern is mounting over the team’s readiness.
The delay places Senegal in a precarious position, especially given its status as defending champions from the 2019 edition held in Thiès.
The current lack of clarity raises serious doubts about whether the Lion Cubs will be in a position to mount a title defence.
This disarray follows a disappointing campaign at the most recent U20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Senegal exited the tournament in the quarter-finals, losing to Nigeria in a penalty shootout — a result that also cost them qualification for the U20 World Cup.
The early elimination dealt a heavy blow to a team that had entered the tournament with high expectations, and the fallout appears to have had lingering effects.
The silence from the Senegalese Football Federation and sports authorities on the status of the U20 squad has only fuelled speculation over the country’s participation in Ghana.
Despite being among the continent’s most successful youth sides in recent years, Senegal’s current situation contrasts sharply with its footballing stature.
For the teams in Group C, including Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Sierra Leone, the uncertainty surrounding Senegal’s involvement could impact tournament logistics and competitive dynamics.
As each team finalises its roster and strategy, Senegal’s delay remains a point of growing concern in regional football circles.
In the absence of official communication from the federation, questions are intensifying among supporters and analysts alike.
Will Senegal confirm its place in the competition in time? Can the team recover quickly enough to pose a serious challenge for the title?
For now, with preparations at a standstill and time quickly slipping away, Senegal’s U20 squad finds itself at a crossroads.
The countdown to kick-off continues, but the presence of the defending champions on the pitch remains far from guaranteed.
