FSF chief says Thiaw pay dispute poisoned Senegal’s World Cup campaign

DAKAR: Senegal’s football federation president said a salary dispute with coach Pape Thiaw created a damaging atmosphere around the national team during the World Cup and contributed to a breakdown in relations that ended with the coach’s dismissal.

Speaking at a press conference in Dakar on Monday, Senegalese football federation (FSF) president Abdoulaye Fall said Thiaw was removed a day earlier after Senegal were eliminated in the last 32 by Belgium on July 1. Fall said tensions had emerged before the tournament when talks over a new contract stalled.

Thiaw, 45, who is a former Senegal international and took charge of the national side in 2024, sought a rise in his monthly salary from 20 million CFA, which was about $35,000, to 50 million CFA, or about $87,000. Fall said the two sides eventually agreed on 30,000 CFA during the World Cup and also resolved other matters including bonuses.

Fall said the dispute affected the team environment and the federation’s working relationship with the coach.

"There was a breakdown in trust between Pape Thiaw and us."

Fall also said Thiaw at one stage threatened not to travel to the World Cup unless his demands were accepted. He said Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye intervened on the day the squad was due to leave for the United States and persuaded the coach to go with the team.

The FSF president said the coach’s contract was only signed on the eve of Senegal’s second match of the tournament, against Norway, because Thiaw would not agree to take his place on the bench until the matter had been settled. Fall added that Thiaw believed federation officials were hostile toward him and said this affected how the national side functioned during the competition.

"Federation officials were his enemies, and this impacted the national team's operations."

Senegal’s tournament and recent record

At the World Cup, Senegal lost two group-stage matches, against France and Norway, before a 5-0 win over Iraq secured progression to the knockout round. Their campaign then ended with defeat to Belgium in the last 32.

Under Thiaw, Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations final in January. However, the team were later stripped of that title as punishment for walking off the pitch during a chaotic final against Morocco.