Senegal Aims to Repeat 2002 World Cup Shock Against France in 2026 Opener

France begins its 2026 FIFA World Cup journey against Senegal on June 17 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Les Bleus enter the tournament as strong title contenders, while Senegal carries the memory of a historic upset from the 2002 World Cup.

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France will begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Senegal in the opening Group I match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Wednesday, June 17.

In their 2002 debut, Senegal stunned the defending champions France 1-0 with a goal from Papa Bouba Diop. That defeat contributed to France's early exit from the tournament. This time, France is among the favorites, trailing only Spain in many pre-tournament assessments. The 2026 World Cup is also anticipated to be Didier Deschamps' final major tournament as head coach. Deschamps, who has won the World Cup as both a player and coach, is two wins away from matching the record of 16 World Cup finals victories held by former West Germany coach Helmut Schön.

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For Senegal, the match offers an opportunity to revisit their famous victory over France at the 2002 World Cup.

France enjoyed a dominant qualifying campaign, securing their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance. Despite a recent 2-1 friendly loss to Ivory Coast, they bounced back with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland, continuing an impressive scoring streak. Kylian Mbappé leads a potent attack, and he is one goal shy of Olivier Giroud's all-time national team scoring record of 57 goals.

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Les Bleus enter the tournament as one of the leading contenders for the title, Senegal arrive carrying memories of one of the World Cup's most memorable upsets.

Senegal also enters the competition with confidence, having qualified for the World Cup undefeated. This marks their third consecutive appearance, following a Round of 16 finish in 2022 and a group stage appearance in 2018. The current squad includes players from the generation that won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, and they are looking to cause another upset against a favored French side.

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Deschamps already holds a unique place in football history as the only living person to have won the World Cup as both a player and a coach.