Senegal’s World Cup Squad Stranded in Seattle After Federation Fails to Book Return Flight

Senegal’s national football team remains stranded in Seattle five days after their dramatic World Cup elimination, after the Senegalese Football Federation failed to arrange a return flight to Dakar.

The Lions of Teranga were knocked out on Wednesday following a devastating 3-2 defeat to Belgium after extra time. Senegal had led 2-0 with just four minutes remaining before Belgium staged an unlikely comeback, with Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans scoring in the 86th and 89th minutes to force extra time. Tielemans then converted a 124th-minute penalty to send Belgium through to face the United States in the round of 16.

The travel chaos began when the delegation was informed just as they were about to head to the airport on Friday that their government-chartered plane had not arrived. According to Senegalese media reports, no reservation had been registered for the national team’s return flight with several airlines, including Blue Jet, Delta and United Airlines.

Players Finally Depart, Officials Remain Stranded

While players and members of the technical team finally boarded a commercial flight home on Sunday morning, two days after originally planned, federation members and support staff remain without confirmed travel arrangements.

Sources within the delegation told ESPN that the original plan was for the travelling party to take a plane chartered by the government. The delegation has not been given official reasons for the failure, though sources suspect President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s cabinet reshuffle, which began in June, has left an administrative vacuum. There was reportedly little anticipation back home that the team would be eliminated by Belgium in the round of 32.

The Senegalese Football Federation issued a statement on Sunday claiming that a special charter flight provided by the Ministry of Youth and Sports would land in Dakar on Tuesday morning at 9:15 a.m.. However, Flight Radar currently has no such flight listed on the airport’s arrivals board.

Growing Crisis and Player Rebellion

The logistical failure has exposed deeper dysfunction within Senegalese football governance. Several players, including Pape Gueye, Édouard Mendy, Mory Diaw, Ismail Jakobs, Krépin Diatta, Yehvann Diouf, Idrissa Gana Gueye, and Kalidou Koulibaly, have left the United States on their own to rejoin their clubs or families.

Midfielder Pape Gueye announced on Instagram that he would be taking a break from the national team, stating: “As long as this coaching staff remains in charge, I’ll be taking a break from the national team”.

Reports have also emerged of serious logistical and financial issues within the Senegal camp throughout the tournament. Players were reportedly still owed bonuses for winning AFCON and qualifying for the World Cup. Head coach Pape Thiaw was said to be working without a contract, with the federation owing him six months of back pay. The team also reportedly stayed in a “low-budget” hotel and did not have a team chef, forcing players to buy their own meals from local stores.

Abandoned and Waiting

One member of the delegation has spoken of feeling “abandoned” by the country’s authorities, according to ESPN. Non-playing officials have had to be moved to a three-star hotel after their original accommodation had no further spare rooms beyond the end of their reservation.

The stranded staff remain hopeful that routes back to Senegal may be found for them on Tuesday at the earliest. The Senegalese Football Federation is reportedly working with FIFA to find a special flight for the delegation.

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