News Focus
- Eighteen-year-old midfielder Bara Sapoko Ndiaye gets maiden World Cup selection
- Senegal coach Pape Thiaw names 28 players for the tournament in North America
- Final squad must shrink to 26 members before the June 2 deadline
- Bayern team-mate Nicolas Jackson also included in the provisional list
- The 2026 finals take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada
Senegal have included teenage midfielder Bara Sapoko Ndiaye in their provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup. The 18-year-old currently plays for German giants Bayern Munich.
Coach Pape Thiaw named a 28-man group on Thursday. He must reduce this to 26 players before the final deadline on June 2. The tournament takes place across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Ndiaye joined Bayern during the winter transfer window. He arrived on loan from Gambinos Stars Africa. The deal is widely expected to become permanent. So far, he has made four appearances for the Bundesliga club.
This selection could see the youngster make his international debut. The World Cup stage would be a remarkable first cap for the midfielder.
Chelsea-owned striker Nicolas Jackson is also in the squad. He spent the recent season on loan at Bayern. The provisional list includes experienced stars like Sadio Mané and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Goalkeepers include Édouard Mendy of Al-Ahli and Yehvann Diouf from Nice. The defence features Kalidou Koulibaly, Ismaïl Jakobs and West Ham United’s El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Midfield options include Everton’s Idrissa Gana Gueye, Tottenham Hotspur’s Pape Matar Sarr and AS Monaco’s Lamine Camara. Ndiaye joins this strong department.
The attackers are led by Sadio Mané at Al-Nassr. Crystal Palace winger Ismaïla Sarr and Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye provide further threat. Jackson completes the forward line alongside several other talents.
Senegal will hope to improve on their 2022 performance. They reached the last 16 in Qatar. This squad blends youth and experience for the North American challenge.