World Cup 2026: What happened in the Senegal national team camp?

It shouldn't have been like this for Senegal. The African team arrives at their fourth World Cup hoping to better their 2002 run to the quarter-finals. But this time they still have no points from the first two matches and are at risk of being eliminated in the first round. If you want to have a chance to enter the knockout round. Senegal must beat Iraq on Friday. The team's start to the tournament was clouded by several issues within camp. Both bonus and pay disputes Chef change delayed and complaints about food Including a dispute over manager Pape Thiaw's contract, which has raised concerns that off-field issues could affect performances on the pitch. The team and staff stayed at the four-star Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick. New Jersey This is unlike the five-star Fairmont Palace in Tangier, which was used during the 2025 AFL Cup in Morocco, but accommodations shouldn't be a big problem because of its proximity to the practice fields at Rutgers University. The issue of food was questioned. The team travels with a resident chef who has a history of preparing menus in advance for many tournaments. But the chef only stayed with the team until the final warm-up match before the tournament. (Senegal meets USA in Charlotte and Saudi Arabia in San Antonio) and then returned for personal reasons. A new chef took over and the players themselves did not have any problems with the catering. But complaints were made by some faculty members outside of the team's core structure. Sometimes I order food outside the hotel because I am disappointed that there is no Senegalese food served. Some Senegal Football Association officials also brought their families and stayed in accommodations near the team, which has sometimes caused ire. The players' families stayed in another hotel. In that case, the cost of accommodation and breakfast was taken care of by the association. The matter of accrued bonuses is another important issue. Previously, players and staff were unhappy that they had not received their bonuses. But the government had completed the payment a few days earlier. “It is true that there are some difficulties. But from the players', staff's and association's point of view, we are focused on tomorrow's match. That is the most important thing,” Pape Thiaw said on Sunday. Senegal, ranked 17th in the world, are seen as one of the African teams with a chance. Even though the 2025 AFL Cup championship was forfeited and is still in the appeal process. They are falling behind after losing 3-1 to France and 3-2 to Norway. Former Senegal striker El Hadji Diouf commented to news station RTS Senegal that "the players don't want this kind of chaos" on Thiaw's part. He is confident that If he loses even a second's belief that he can lead Senegal to the World Cup. He's ready to resign. And Thiaw previously played for Senegal at the 2002 World Cup, leading the team to the troubled AFL Cup finals in January. The relationship between Thiaw and the association was not as smooth as it seemed. When he took the job in 2024, he received a contract salary of around £210,000 a year, but after his performance in the 2025 AFC Cup, his bargaining power increased and a contract extension was delayed. This is because in Senegal contract negotiations must be approved by the state through the ministries responsible for sports and finance. Thiaw was forced to travel to the United States. without signing a new contract yet Amidst the changing political situation within the country causing delays in administration When the pressure increases President Bassirou D'Aomai Faye then directly approached Thiaw to assure them that the issue would be expedited. After the new sports minister, Giray Clotilde Coli, came to the United States. To watch the match with France and meet the team. Negotiations then moved ahead and a new contract worth £480,000 a year was reached, with an annual bonus of £80,000. Thiaw said. “It's true that it took too long. But it's never just about money. But it is a matter of principle and respect. This has now been resolved.” He stressed that his country was more important than anything else and that the contract issue was a thing of the past. Goalkeeper Maury Diaw, who stood with Thiaw at the press conference, said: “These are all internal issues. I don't think outsiders necessarily know what we say inside. We have professional players. We are here to represent the country. And nothing will make us lose focus when our shared goals matter.” Babacar Diarra, a Canal+ journalist who has followed the team for more than a decade, told BBC Sport that Senegal rarely encounters situations like this. There may have been some bonus problems in the past. But it has never been disclosed to the media at this level. He doesn't think it will affect the players' commitment. Another issue that was discussed was the distribution of tickets for matches. Senegal's tradition is that the state takes care of the main fan group for travel and accommodation. But this time there are restrictions preventing some fans from traveling. In particular, Senegalese communities in the United States and Canada received only 400 cards and the distribution has been questioned over a lack of transparency. Members of Senegal's football fans' association protested outside the team's accommodation on Sunday to express their displeasure. All of this is a general picture of the problems in the Senegalese camp. Before the team returns to the field to have a chance to enter the knockout round of the 2026 World Cup.