Senegal played France in a World Cup 2026 live match at 3pm EDT, and the fixture carried extra weight because it was Senegal’s first tournament game since the afcon title was taken away. Wayne Rooney used the UK television coverage to say he disagreed with that decision.
Rooney and Senegal’s Afcon case
Rooney said, “the match was played out, and I understand that” while discussing the ruling, then added: “I’m afraid Fifa felt the need – not without reason – to make the point, pour encourager les autres, that you can’t stalk off the pitch if you don’t like a refereeing call.” His view added a pointed off-field layer to a match already framed by Senegal’s place in the tournament and the punishment that preceded it.
The game began with Senegal on the front foot. In the first minute, Senegal set Diouf away down the left, and Hernandez was forced to head the ball behind because Sarr was loitering behind him. By the 9th minute, Senegal were described as the stronger and more energetic team.
Early pressure on France
France still found a foothold. At the 3rd minute, Jackson was spoken to by the referee after Tchouameni trod on Maignan and France won a free-kick, then at the 14th minute Koulibaly gave the ball away to Dembele. Those moments offered France an opening after Senegal’s sharper start.
The live coverage also carried a reminder of Senegal’s past success, with a commenter recalling that they did it in 2002. Simon McMahon summed up the wider reaction in the comments with: “That Senegal kit is indeed a beezer.”
World Cup 2026 live at 3pm EDT
The kick-off time was listed as 3pm EDT, 8pm BST and 5am AEST, placing the match in a global window that underlined its scale. For Senegal, though, the bigger note was simpler: this was the first tournament appearance after the AFCON title was taken away, and that decision remained part of the conversation as the match unfolded.
