France Beats Senegal 3-1 in World Cup Opener

France kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal in a match that really picked up in the second half.

The first half ended goalless, but it was far from boring. Senegal had a few chances thanks to Ismaïla Sarr, Nicolas Jackson, and Sadio Mané. France also looked dangerous with Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and Désiré Doué trying to score.

Despite both teams pushing hard, they could not break the deadlock before halftime.

After the break, France came back with more energy and started to control the game. Their efforts paid off in the 66th minute when Michael Olise assisted Kylian Mbappé, who finished smoothly to put Les Bleus ahead.

That goal changed the game. France gained confidence and pressed forward while Senegal found it hard to cope with their attacks.

France extended their lead in the 82nd minute when substitute Bradley Barcola made a quick impact. He scored right after coming off the bench, finishing a move set up by Adrien Rabiot to make it 2-0.

Senegal didn’t give up and got a goal in stoppage time. Substitute Mbaye netted in the 95th minute after a setup from Iliman Ndiaye, giving Senegal a moment of hope for a comeback.

But France quickly responded. Just a minute later, Mbappé scored again to make it 3-1 and secure the win for the 2022 runners-up.

France controlled 54 percent of the possession and took 11 shots, with eight going on target. Senegal managed six attempts, but only two were on target.

Mbappé’s two goals and Barcola’s impact off the bench were key for France as they took all three points. Senegal had some bright moments but were ultimately let down by France's finishing.

This result puts France in a strong spot in Group I. Senegal, now the third African team to lose in this World Cup, will need to bounce back in their next match to keep their hopes of qualification alive.