Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has named a 28-man provisional squad for the World Cup, with star forward Sadio Mané included as he targets a strong return after missing the 2022 finals due to injury.
Thiaw must trim the squad by two players before the final submission deadline later this month.
Mane, now playing for Al-Nassr, is expected to play a key role in attack for Senegal, who are considered one of Africa’s strongest teams heading into the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The squad also includes forwards Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye, and Ismaïla Sarr.
Midfield options include Idrissa Gueye, Habib Diarra, and Pape Matar Sarr, while young Bayern Munich midfielder Bara Ndiaye has also been called up.
Experienced defender Kalidou Koulibaly and goalkeeper Édouard Mendy are also part of the squad.
Defender Malang Sarr misses out despite a strong season at Lens.
Senegal, who recently performed strongly at the Africa Cup of Nations, will open their World Cup campaign against France in New Jersey in a repeat of their famous 2002 meeting.
Norway and Iraq are the Senegal opponents in Group I.
Senegal have qualified for the World Cup on four occasions, in 2002, where they reached the quarter-finals, 2018, 2022, and 2026.
At the 2018 World Cup, they were the first team in World Cup history to be eliminated using the fair play rule after being tied with Japan on the first six tiebreakers.
At the recent World Cup in 2022, they finished second from Group A behind Netherlands in a group that also had Ecuardor and hosts Qatar.
But they were eliminated by England at the Round of 16 who won 3-0 thanks to goals from Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka.
Senegal 2026 FIFA World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Mory Diaw (Le Havre)
Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), El-Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Bara Ndiaye (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St-Germain), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace)
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