Senegal has decided to part ways with coach Aliou Cisse, the man who led the team to their historic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory in 2022 and guided them through the last two World Cup tournaments.
The decision, initiated by Senegal’s sports minister Khady Diene Gaye, follows a government request not to renew Cisse’s contract, as confirmed by the local football association.
Cisse, a former captain of the national team and a former Paris Saint-Germain player, took charge of Senegal in 2015 and achieved the nation’s first AFCON title in 2022. Under his leadership, Senegal also reached the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup. However, they were eliminated in the same stage of this year’s AFCON by Ivory Coast, the hosts and eventual champions.
The Senegalese FA announced that an interim coaching team would replace the 48-year-old Cisse for their two upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Malawi. Senegal is currently level with Burkina Faso on four points in their group, which also includes Burundi.
In 2026 World Cup qualifying, Senegal remains unbeaten but trails group leaders Sudan by two points after four matches.