Published On 5/7/2026
A Senegalese media outlet revealed that the authorities in Senegal canceled the private plane that was supposed to return the national team delegation from the United States after the end of its participation in the 2026 World Cup, which caused great confusion for the “Lions of Teranga” delegation.
The Senegalese website Dsports reported that the national team players and members of the delegation went to the airport on time, but they waited for hours without the plane being available, before they had to return to the hotel.
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The website quoted a source as saying: “The players went to the airport, but after hours of waiting there was no flight available, so they eventually returned to the hotel,” explaining that a number of players returned individually to their destinations, while others and members of the mission remained at the hotel, waiting for alternative flights to be provided during the following hours.
The website indicated that the decision to cancel the private plane came from government agencies, in a step that differs from the mechanism followed during the African Cup of Nations, when the state was responsible for organizing all logistical aspects of the mission’s return.
The report added that the crisis revealed increasing tension between the Ministry of Sports and the Senegalese Football Federation following administrative and contractual disputes. The two parties intend to prepare two separate reports on the team’s participation in the World Cup to submit to the presidency and the prime minister’s office, amid the continuing repercussions of the early exit.
The Senegalese team exited the World Cup in the round of 32 after losing to Belgium 3-2, in a disappointing participation for the fans of the “Lions of Teranga”.
