Victory to rock the Senghor stadium in Dakar November 12, 2026
Senegal faces Sudan this Thursday, November 12 at the Léopold Sédar Senghor stadium in Dakar, in a match counting for the third day of the CAN 2027 qualifiers in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The “Lions” must win at home in a stadium where they have not played for years, before the return leg at the opponent’s home.
Senegal is currently second in Group J behind Mozambique. Held in check (1-1) in Maputo by the “Mambas” on the first day, the “Lions” recovered by beating Ethiopia (0-1) in Addis Ababa.
Trailing on goal difference, Senegal must pick up the pace during the double confrontation between them and Sudan. Four days after facing the “Crocodiles of the Nile” at home, Senegal will have to travel to challenge the opponent on their territory. But, before thinking about the return, you must already make the difference on the way out.
For this duel to be won at all costs, Patrick Vieira will still be deprived of important elements. Sadio Mané, selected, will not be present for personal reasons. Ismail Jacobs has announced his international retirement. Ismaïla Sarr and Krépin Diatta, injured, will not be there.
The most consistent “Lion” in recent years, Idrissa Gana Guèye, was not called up by the 1998 world champion. With these courageous decisions but contested by some, Patrick Vieira shows that he wants to bring about change in the “Den” by placing his trust in young people.
The latter will have to raise the level to show that they can take over from the generation of Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mané, Idrissa Gana Guèye… who are closer to retirement.
With all the important deadlines fast approaching, notably the Can 2027 and 2028, the 2030 World Cup, we must already start giving confidence to young players to ensure continuity.
The latter will have a great opportunity to show themselves in a stadium with 60,000 seats, where the Senegal national team had not played for several years, because it was not approved by Caf.
Renovation work undertaken
The “Lions” first went into exile at the Lat Dior stadium in Thiès, before the Abdoulaye Wade stadium was inaugurated in 2022. Since then, it is in this den located in Diamniadio that Senegal received its opponents.
It is therefore a return to basics for the “Lions” in this Léopold Sédar Senghor stadium in Dakar inaugurated in 1985, and which hosted major events such as the 1992 Can.
The renovation work undertaken from August 2022, in collaboration with China, has borne fruit. The stadium is once again approved by Caf.
And for this comeback in this den, Iliman Ndiaye, Ibrahim Mbaye, Lamine Camara, Yehvann Diouf, Nicolas Jackson, Moussa Niakhaté, Malick Diouf…, players who had never played a match with Senegal at the Senghor stadium, must put on a show.
Senegal’s last match without this stadium dates from March 26, 2019 with a victory over Mali (2-1) in a friendly.
More than 7 years later, it is up to young people like Ibrahim Mbaye, who was only 11 years old in 2019, to bring this Dakar lair to a boil.
This might not be easy against a team that is often eye-catching when it faces the “Lions”. During the last Can, Senegal won against Sudan (3-1) after being led in the round of 16.
In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the “Lions” were also neutralized by the “Crocodiles of the Nile”, in Benghazi, Libya (0-0), before winning on the return leg (2-0). We should therefore not underestimate the Sudanese players.
By Julien Mbesse SÈNE
