France vs Senegal LIVE: Nicolas Jackson hits the post! Kylian Mbappe makes 2026 World Cup debut (0-0)

Ismaïla Sarr tries to combine with Jackson inside the right side of the box, but the pass doesn’t come through cleanly. Theo Hernández reads it early, shields the ball with plenty of space, and lets it roll out over the end line.

France remain sloppy playing out from the back. Another simple pass goes astray, and they still can’t connect with their front three — Mbappé, Doué and Olise — who wait for cleaner service to break Senegal’s press.

Jules Koundé commits a foul on the right side as he tries to stop Senegal’s transition, giving the Lions of Teranga a chance to push forward from the set piece.

Ismaïla Sarr finds space and takes the shot, but he mishits it and the ball flies well wide of the France goal. Senegal keep pushing for the opener.

Lamine Camara brings down his man in midfield, and France get a free kick to restart play.

The referee calls a cooling break as both teams pause to rehydrate after an intense stretch of play. Senegal came closest moments ago with Jackson hitting the post, while France look to reset before the match resumes.

Nicolas Jackson’s shot beats the keeper but crashes off the post. Huge let‑off for France as Senegal come inches from the opener

Senegal break quickly looking for Sarr in transition, but Dayot Upamecano reads the play perfectly and shuts down the move before it develops.

Dayot Upamecano commits a foul as he challenges for the ball, giving Senegal a free kick to relieve the pressure.

Michael Olise steps up and delivers France’s corner as Les Bleus look to create danger from the set piece.

Ousmane Dembélé cuts inside and fires a shot toward goal, but his effort lacks precision and doesn’t trouble the Senegal keeper. France continue searching for their first clear chance.

France push Senegal deep into their own half, controlling possession and applying steady pressure. The African champions try to break out on the counter, but Upamecano shuts the door and wins the duel cleanly.

Idrissa Gana Gueye commits a foul in midfield as he challenges for the ball, giving France a chance to restart play.

France haven’t truly tested Senegal yet, but their attacking potential is obvious. With Mbappé leading the line and young talents like Désiré Doué and Michael Olise — one of the top assist‑makers in the 2025/26 Champions League.

Sarr accelerates into the final third, giving Senegal another sharp attacking moment early on. France stay composed at the back.

Nicolas Jackson tries to break in behind the French back line, but the flag goes up. The Senegal forward is ruled offside as he makes his run.

Senegal continue pressing high and trying to take control of the match, moving the ball with confidence in France’s half. Les Bleus, however, stay compact and prevent the Lions of Teranga from fully imposing their rhythm in these early minutes.

Adrien Rabiot commits a foul in midfield as he challenges for the ball, giving Senegal a chance to reset their attack early in the match.

Nicolas Jackson commits a foul in midfield as he tries to challenge for the ball, giving France a free kick early in the match.

The opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for both France and Senegal is underway at New York New Jersey Stadium, marking a high‑stakes start to Group I.

Both teams are lined up for the pre‑match protocol in New York. The atmosphere is electric as France and Senegal prepare for kickoff.

In official FIFA men’s competitions, Senegal hold the advantage over France, with one win and no defeats in their previous meeting. That historic victory came during the 2002 World Cup opener, when Senegal stunned the defending champions 1‑0 in Seoul.

Now, both nations meet again on June 16, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium, aiming to write a new chapter in their World Cup rivalry.

Players from both sides are out on the pitch at New York New Jersey Stadium, going through their warm‑up routines as we get closer to kickoff.

Today’s action takes place at New York New Jersey Stadium, which has an official capacity of 82,500 spectators for the FIFA World Cup. The venue is set for a massive crowd as France and Senegal kick off their campaigns in Group I.

Senegal’s starting XI: Édouard Mendy; Kalidou Koulibaly, Krépin Diatta, Moussa Niakhaté, El Hadji Malick Diouf; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Lamine Camara, Pape Gueye; Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson, Ismaïla Sarr.

France’s starting XI: Mike Maignan; Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Theo Hernández; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé (C), Michael Olise, Désiré Doué.

The match will be officiated by a FIFA‑appointed crew led by Alireza Faghani (Iran/Australia).

Full officiating team:
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran/Australia)
Assistant Referees: George Lakrindis (Australia), James Lindsay (Australia)
Fourth Official: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
VAR: Abdullah Al‑Shehri (Saudi Arabia)

The match between France and Senegal is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT on Friday, June 12, 2026, at New York New Jersey Stadium.
In the United States, the game will be broadcast live on FOX and Telemundo, with streaming available on Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling Blue, Hulu + Live TV, and Peacock Premium.

Welcome to our live blog! This time, France face Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With Kylian Mbappé leading Les Bleus into his tournament debut, France enter the competition carrying high expectations and looking to start Group I with a victory. Stay with us for all the action and minute‑by‑minute updates from New York.