Senegal head coach Aliou Cissé has made the bold call to drop Nicolas Jackson for this evening’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup fixture against Iraq. The Chelsea forward, currently on loan at Bayern Munich, starts among the substitutes for the 21:00 CET kick-off in Toronto. His club teammate Bara Sapoko Ndiaye also takes a place on the bench.
The match represents the first competitive meeting between the two nations. Both teams enter the final group stage fixture without a point to their name and require victory to maintain any hope of advancing to the Round of 32. Senegal hold a slight advantage with a goal difference of -3 compared to Iraq’s -6, though both sides may still need results from other Group I matches to fall in their favour.
Confirmed Line-ups
Cissé has turned to experience in defence, handing starts to Moussa Diakhate, formerly of Mainz, and Ismail Jakobs, who previously represented Köln. The midfield pairs Idrissa Gueye and Cheikh Diarra behind a forward line led by Sadio Mané.
- Senegal (4-2-3-1): Diaw – Diatta, Seck, Niakhate, Jakobs – Gueye, Diarra – Mbaye, Camara, Mané – Sarr
- Iraq (4-1-4-1): Basil – Putros, Hashim, Sulaka, Doski – Al Almmari – Jasmin, Bayesh, Iqbal, Quasem – Al Hamadi
Tournament Stakes
Defeat for either side will confirm their elimination from the tournament. A draw offers no salvation given their respective goal differences. Senegal’s superior defensive record offers them a clearer mathematical path should they secure three points, while Iraq must not only win but likely require a significant swing in goals to overturn their -6 deficit.
The Lions of Teranga will look to Jakobs and Diakhate to provide stability at the back against an Iraqi side that has struggled to find its rhythm in the competition. With Jackson omitted, the attacking burden falls heavily on Mané and Habib Diarra to break down a defence marshalled by Frans Putros and Saad Natiq.