Senegal goes into a must-win night against Norvège at the Mondial 2026 on Tuesday at 00h GMT, still carrying problems that have not gone away. The team opened the tournament with a 3-1 loss to France, and now it needs a response on the field while questions keep piling up around it.
That is why Mory Diaw and the wider Senegal setup are being searched now: the stakes are immediate, and the pressure is no longer only sporting. Norvège already has three points, which makes this second match even more important for Sénégal after the opening defeat.
Behind the scenes, the picture is far less tidy than the public message of focus and unity. The bonuses promised to the players have still not been paid, even though La FSF has received for several months the prize-money envelopes from CAN 2025 and the bonuses tied to World Cup qualification. Pape Thiaw is also still without a contract, a detail that sits awkwardly alongside the urgency of preparing a decisive match.
The logistical concerns go further. The base hotel chosen for the team in the États-Unis is said not to meet the standards expected of a side at this level, and the chef cuisinier brought in during the last CAN was not allowed to travel. In practice, that has meant some players regularly order food from outside just to eat properly, a sign that the day-to-day environment is not matching the ambition of the group.
That friction matters because it sits next to a squad that is still described as focused and determined, even after a strong first 45 minutes against France. Senegal cannot afford distraction now. The match against Norvège is the next hard test, and it will show whether the team can keep the football central while the issues around it remain unresolved.
