AFCON 2024 - Senegal: Group, fixtures, opponents, and squad

Arguably one of the best teams going into AFCON 2024, staying put with Coach Aliou Cissé has positively impacted Senegal football and they deservedly head into the next tournament as defending champions.

For clarity's sake, this year's competition is officially named AFCON 2023 since it was initially scheduled to take place last year but was postponed until January-February 2024.

Here is all you need to know about the Teranga Lions at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Senegal at AFCON 2024

Senegal have been grouped in Group C with rivals and last tournament hosts Cameroon, the Gambia and Guinea. The Lions will play all their three group matches in Yamoussoukro.

15 January, 3 pm: Senegal vs Gambia (Charles-Konan-Banny Stadium)
19 January 6pm: Senegal vs Cameroon (Charles-Konan-Banny Stadium)
23 January 6pm: Guinea vs Senegal (Charles-Konan-Banny Stadium)

How Senegal qualified for AFCON 2024

Senegal topped Group L during the qualifiers for the 2023 African Cup of Nations. The Teranga Lions finished with 14 points and did not lose a single match in six fixtures, registering four wins and two draws.

Day 1: Senegal – Benin (3-1)
Day 2: Rwanda – Senegal (0-1)
Day 3: Senegal – Mozambique (5-1)
Day 4: Mozambique – Senegal (0-1)
Day 5: Benin – Senegal (1-1)
Day 6: Senegal – Rwanda (1-1)

AFCON 2024 Senegal — Photo by Icon Sport

Last 10 games before AFCON 2024

Togo-Senegal (0-0) – FIFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Senegal-South Sudan (4-0) – FIFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Senegal-Cameroon (1-0) – Friendly
Senegal-Algeria (0-1) – Friendly
Senegal-Rwanda (1-1) – AFCON 2023 Qualifiers
Brazil-Senegal (2-4) – Friendly
Benin-Senegal (1-1) – AFCON 2023 Qualifiers
Mozambique-Senegal (0-1) – AFCON 2023 Qualifiers
Senegal-Mozambique (5-1) – AFCON 2023 Qualifiers
England-Senegal (3-0) – FIFA 2022 World Cup – Round of 16

Senegal – repeat of AFCON 2021?

As title holders following their victory at AFCON 2021 against Egypt in a penalty shootout, all eyes are on the Teranga Lions with the weight of repeating the feat pinning on the team.

The Sadio Mané gang will therefore try to assume the favourite costume as best as possible, which is not always easy to wear. Since Egypt won three times in a row (2006, 2008, 2010), no other team has since managed to achieve such feat.

An interesting fact is that since being crowned as African champions, Senegal have only lost two matches against an African opposition and the defeats were to Egypt in March 2022 and to Algeria last October.

The Coach: Aliou Cissé

He's one of the longest-serving managers on the continent, and he's been at the helm of affairs since March 2015. Took the team to the quarter-finals in 2017, and the final in 2019 before going on to win the title in 2022.

The 47-year-old technician, nicknamed “El Tactico”, was named African coach of the year in 2022. The former Senegal international defender (35 caps, 1 goal) will be keen to prove that this beautiful Senegalese generation, led by the endearing Mané, is capable of defending the title in Ivory Coast.

Player to watch: Lamine Camara

Photo by Icon Sport

Lamine Camara, currently playing at FC Metz, has experienced a meteoric rise in his career. The 19-year-old midfielder has been featured for the senior team this year, registering three caps and scoring one goal so far.

He will bring some dynamism and exhibit his versatility on the field. He was part of the CHAN and U20 AFCON-winning teams for Senegal last year. Freshly voted best young African player of the year, he is also admired for his qualities on set pieces.