STAR WORLD CUP PREVIEW Tues: France v Senegal

The 2026 World Cup rolls into MetLife Stadium on Tuesday as France open their campaign against a Senegal side that defeated France in 2002 and genuinely believe they can do it again, writes JOE CITRONE.

France have won four of their last five, but that loss to Ivory Coast in early June is a reminder that even the tournament favourites aren’t untouchable – and Senegal will have clocked it too.

France v Senegal
FIFA World Cup Group I
20:00 BBC One

LAST FIVE STATS

HEAD-TO-HEAD
JUN 2002 WORLD CUP Senegal 1-0 France

FRANCE
JUN 2026 FRIENDLY France 3-1 Northern Ireland
JUN 2026 FRIENDLY France 1-2 Ivory Coast
MAR 2026 FRIENDLY Colombia 1-3 France
MAR 2026 FRIENDLY Brazil 1-2 France
NOV 2025 WC QUALIFIER France 3-1 Azerbaijan

SENEGAL
JUN 2026 FRIENDLY Saudi Arabia 0-0 Senegal
MAY 2026 FRIENDLY USA 3-2 Senegal
MAR 2026 FRIENDLY Senegal 3-1 Gambia
MAR 2026 FRIENDLY Senegal 2-0 Peru
JAN 2026 AFCON Senegal 0-3 Morocco

STARSPORTS.BET MATCH MARKETS

The Lions of Teranga arrive in New Jersey with a point to prove after a turbulent few months.

They believe they won the Africa Cup of Nations – and on the pitch, they did – only to be controversially stripped of the title after walking off in protest during the final against Morocco.

That appeal is still live at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and you can bet there’s a bit of fire in the belly because of it.

France are favourites for good reason – Mbappe, Dembele, Olise, the depth is frightening – but Didier Deschamps’ side have kept just one clean sheet in their last five, and Senegal have Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr and the Premier League-hardened Iliman Ndiaye to cause them problems on the break.

I’ll take France to win, but back both teams to score at starsports.bet.

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