Senegalese FA Links World Cup Failure to Coach Pape Thiaw's Pay Demands

The president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has disclosed that the nation's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign was severely hampered by internal discord, which reportedly stemmed from head coach Pape Thiaw's demand for a salary increase during the tournament.

Thiaw's tenure as coach concluded with his dismissal on Sunday, mere days after Senegal's elimination from the World Cup on July 1. Their campaign ended following a 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 32. Speaking at a press briefing in Dakar, FSF president Abdoulaye Fall stated, “There was a breakdown in trust between Pape Thiaw and us.” He attributed this to an initial failure to formalize a new contract, which arose from Thiaw's insistence on higher remuneration.

Thiaw, a 45-year-old former Senegal international, had taken over as the national team's boss in 2024. Prior to the squad's departure for the World Cup, he had sought an increment in his salary, moving from 20 million CFA (approximately $87,000). Eventually, an agreement of 30,000 CFA was reached during the World Cup, alongside the settlement of other disputes like performance bonuses.

Fall further disclosed that Thiaw had, at one stage, threatened to boycott the World Cup if his conditions were not satisfied. It was only through the intervention of Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who convinced him to reconsider on the very day the team was scheduled to depart for the United States, that the situation was resolved. The FSF president detailed that the contract was eventually inked on the eve of their second tournament match, against Norway, following Thiaw's refusal to occupy the dugout until the agreement was finalized.

According to Fall, Thiaw harbored the belief that “federation officials were his enemies,” a perception that significantly hindered the national team’s functioning. Throughout their World Cup campaign, the Lions of Teranga experienced two losses in the group stage, falling to France and Norway. However, a decisive 5-0 victory against Iraq ultimately secured their progression to the knockout stages.

Under Thiaw's leadership, Senegal had previously clinched the Africa Cup of Nations title in January, but were subsequently stripped of this honour. This punitive measure was enforced after the team controversially walked off the pitch during a tumultuous final match against Morocco.