Senegal Appoint Patrick Vieira As New Head Coach

Senegal have appointed former Arsenal and France midfielder Patrick Vieira as their new head coach, replacing Pape Thiaw.

The permanent position had been vacant since Thiaw was dismissed following Senegal’s exit from the 2026 World Cup.

Thiaw, who had been in charge since 2024, guided Senegal to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, where they defeated Morocco. However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped Senegal of the title 57 days later following a disciplinary ruling.

Senegal subsequently appealed the decision, with their case due to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in October.

At the 2026 World Cup, Senegal finished third in their group to qualify for the knockout stage but were eliminated in the first round after a 3-2 defeat by Belgium.

Vieira, 50, was born in Dakar and returns to his country of birth after being out of management since November 2025.

His most recent managerial role was at Genoa, where he left after a winless start to the Serie A season, just 11 months after taking charge.

The appointment represents another opportunity for Vieira to rebuild his managerial career after previous spells with Strasbourg and Crystal Palace.

He managed Crystal Palace from 2021 until 2023 before being dismissed with the club three points above the Premier League relegation zone.

As a player, Vieira enjoyed an illustrious career, making 307 Premier League appearances for Arsenal and Manchester City.

He won three Premier League titles with Arsenal between 1997 and 2004 and was also part of the France side that won the 1998 World Cup.

Vieira now faces the task of restoring Senegal’s status among Africa’s leading football nations and guiding the Teranga Lions through their next competitive campaign.