The Group I opener at the FIFA World Cup sees France take on Senegal in a compelling matchup between attacking power and defensive resilience. France enters the tournament as one of the top contenders, boasting depth, quality, and sharp offensive rhythm.
Senegal will look to disrupt their flow with experience and a compact, counter-attacking setup. In a tightly contested group that also features Norway and Iraq, starting strong could shape the entire qualification battle.
Have a read of our France vs Senegal prediction before you decide on your bet.
France vs Senegal prediction for the 2026 World Cup
Both sides are kicking off their 2026 World Cup campaign in this tie. We weighed up the history, squad depth and current form of each nation before settling on our prediction.
Here is the bet we recommend:
BTTS - No
Who are the favourites?
Based on the leading UK-licensed bookmakers, France is tipped to come out on top, with 65% of the odds leaning towards their win.
Looking for more? Browse all the World Cup odds and dig into this and other ties from the planet's biggest football tournament.
France vs Senegal head-to-head record
These two nations have met only a handful of times of late — 1 match(es) in all, which only adds to the unpredictability of this 2026 World Cup tie.
France: 0 win(s)
Senegal: 1 win(s)
Draws: 0
France: opening the 2026 World Cup
France make their FIFA World Cup bow having already logged 10 match(es) in 2026 in the build-up. Here is how they have fared:
8 win(s), 1 draw(s) and 1 loss(es)
25 goals scored (2.5 per game)
9 goals conceded (0.9 per game)
Players to watch for France National Team
Leading scorer: Kylian Mbappé with 5 goal(s)
Most assists: Kylian Mbappé with 3
Senegal: opening the 2026 World Cup
Senegal step out at the FIFA World Cup for the first time this edition after 14 match(es) in 2026.
Here is the Seleção do Senegal record:
This year so far
9 win(s), 4 draw(s) and 1 loss(es)
29 goals scored (2.07 per game)
7 goals conceded (0.5 per game)
Players to watch for Seleção do Senegal
Leading scorer: Pape Matar Sarr with 5 goal(s)
Most assists: Habib Diallo with 3
France vs Senegal statistics at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Before you stake anything, look over the side-by-side comparison that sheds light on each nation's current form for this World Cup tie:
France
International - World Cup
Senegal
International - World Cup
France vs Senegal probable lineups
See the likely starting eleven below for our France vs Senegal prediction at the 2026 World Cup.
France: Mike Maignan, Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernández, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé.
Senegal: Édouard Mendy, Antoine Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moussa Niakhaté, Ismail Jakobs, Pape Matar Sarr, Lamine Camara, Pape Gueye, Ismaïla Sarr, Nicolas Jackson, Sadio Mané.
How to watch France vs Senegal live in the UK
Find out below where you can catch France vs Senegal live during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Just remember, kick-off is at 20:00 UK time.
For the full schedule, check our our World Cup live streaming page.
More betting tips for this match
Alongside the main tip given at the top of this article, here are some other strong bets for France vs Senegal:
Further 2026 World Cup predictions
Browse all of our 2026 FIFA World Cup predictions and keep up with the sharpest analysis from start to finish of the tournament.
Match details: France vs Senegal
🆚 Fixture France vs Senegal
🏆 Tournament 2026 FIFA World Cup
📅 Date Tuesday, 16/06/2026
🕐 Kick-off 20:00 UK time
🏟️ Venue MetLife Stadium
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Sports betting analyst with over 15 years of experience. At APWin, he writes football predictions, reviews bookmakers and explains the reasoning behind every bet.