Senegal players, led by their captain Kalidou Koulibaly, step off their bus and arrive at their hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey, five days ahead of their first match against France to kick off the 2026 World Cup.

Greeted by fans, coach Pape Thiaw and veteran Sadio Mané received flowers upon their arrival.

Senegal face a stiff test in Group I with France — winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022 — Norway and outsiders Iraq.

The African nation’s shock win over then-champion France in the 2002 World Cup opener sparked a best-ever run for them to the quarter-finals, and they have ambitions of a repeat stunner and another deep foray into the tournament.

Their build-up has been overshadowed by the fall-out from January’s Africa Cup of Nations final, when they beat Morocco 1-0 after extra time.

But the chaos in that game, when Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest at a late penalty awarded to the hosts, led to Pape Thiaw’s team later being stripped of their title by the Confederation of African Football. They have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Senegal’s squad is still led by Mane, who is now 34 and missed the last World Cup with injury.