馃嚫馃嚦SenegalWest Africa
Senegalese Football Federation faces visa rejections for Canada trip
via SeneNews1 min read
The Senegalese Football Federation FSF is dealing with unexpected visa issues for its delegation traveling to Canada. Despite early applications from Dakar, many federal officials on the official travel list have not received their visas in time. Attempts to resolve the situation, including through the United States, were largely unsuccessful. Only a few FSF Executive Committee members, including Moussa Mbaye, Mouhamed Samb, and A茂cha Henriette Ndiaye, obtained Canadian entry authorization. Similarly, only a few collaborators of FSF President Abdoulaye Fall, such as Abdoulaye Fofana Seck, Joseph Sambou, and Adama Gueye, head of the legal department, received visas. This last-minute restriction means many leaders and support staff will not accompany the national team, disrupting their organization. Meanwhile, the national team, known as the Lions, departed for Toronto on Wednesday at 7 PM GMT. They are scheduled to play Iraq on Friday at the same time in a crucial match for their North American campaign, where a victory is essential for their qualification chances.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Senegal's National Assembly is scheduled to hold a plenary session this Thursday to examine four bills from the Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad. The agenda includes a bill authorizing the President to ratify the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction BBNJ Agreement, adopted in New York on June 19, 2023. Parliamentarians will also consider a bill authorizing the ratification of the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Senegal and The Gambia, signed in Dakar on March 12, 2020. Additionally, the agenda features a bill for the ratification of amendments to Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court ICC, adopted on July 17, 1998. Finally, deputies will review a bill authorizing the ratification of the Constitutive Charter of the World Water Organization, signed on May 28, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This plenary session is expected to be busy, with four texts to be reviewed by elected officials in a single day.
Despite two defeats against France 1-3 and Norway 2-3, Senegal's national football team, the Lions of Teranga, still has a significant chance to advance in the 2026 World Cup. Statistical models from Football Meets Data and Opta estimate Senegal's qualification probabilities for the Round of 32 at approximately 72% and 69.54%, respectively. This is largely due to the tournament's new format, which allows the eight best third-placed teams from the twelve groups to progress alongside the 24 directly qualified teams. A victory against Iraq in their upcoming match on June 26 in Toronto could be sufficient for Pape Thiaw's team to secure one of these spots. Both Senegal and Iraq have lost their first two matches, making their final group stage game a decisive one for their World Cup aspirations. While statistics favor the Lions, their qualification hinges on winning against Iraq and monitoring results from other groups.
Must ReadSenegal's national football team is reportedly facing significant internal and organizational challenges during the 2026 World Cup, where they have suffered two group stage defeats. According to the newspaper Yoor-Yoor Bi, the team's preparations were marred by internal tensions, governance problems, and logistical failures. The delegation included 55 representatives from the Ministry of Sports and over 100 federal members, which the newspaper deemed excessive for a global competition. Yoor-Yoor Bi also reported that the national coach worked without a definitive contract for an extended period, and issues concerning bonuses and team management contributed to discontent within the squad. Similar reports about unpaid bonuses and contractual uncertainties for staff had previously circulated in Senegalese media. The newspaper also highlighted the alleged excessive influence of a sports advisor close to the presidency in team management, who was later removed from the team's environment. These revelations emerge as Senegal faces potential elimination from the competition, needing a significant performance in their final match to advance.