France vs Senegal World Cup 2026: Time, TV Channel & Schedule

If you only bookmark one fixture from the opening week, make it this one: France vs Senegal at the 2026 World Cup kicks off on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 3pm ET (9pm in Paris, 7pm in Dakar) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The France vs Senegal World Cup 2026 time puts this Group I opener in a prime afternoon slot for fans across the USA and Canada — and in the evening for the huge French and Senegalese communities watching from Europe and West Africa. Here is everything you need: kickoff time, TV details, France's full group schedule, Deschamps' squad and the latest on Mbappé.

France vs Senegal World Cup 2026: time, date and venue

The 2018 world champions open their campaign against Senegal's Lions of Teranga on June 16 at MetLife Stadium, the giant arena just outside New York City. Kickoff is set for 3pm Eastern Time, which translates to 9pm in Paris and 7pm in Dakar — a friendly slot whether you are watching from Montreal, New York or with family back home.

In France, the broadcast landscape has been shaken up: M6 airs every France match free-to-air, plus the semifinals and the final, with free streaming on M6+. For the first time in more than 45 years, TF1 will not show a single World Cup match, while beIN Sports is the only French broadcaster carrying all 104 games of the tournament. Good to know: a Q4TV subscription brings M6, beIN Sports and Senegalese channels together in one place, wherever you live.

France's full Group I schedule at the 2026 World Cup

Under the new 48-team format, the field is split into 12 groups, and the top two of each group — plus the eight best third-placed teams — advance to a new round of 32. Here is France's complete group-stage program:

• France vs Senegal: Tuesday, June 16 — 3pm ET / 9pm Paris / 7pm Dakar, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
• France vs Iraq: Monday, June 22 — 5pm ET / 11pm Paris time, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
• Norway vs France: Friday, June 26 — 3pm ET / 9pm Paris time, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough

All three venues sit on the US East Coast, which means comfortable afternoon and evening kickoffs for North American viewers throughout the group stage.

Mbappé's injury saga and Deschamps' 26-man squad

Didier Deschamps has named a 26-player squad, and the headline is simple: Kylian Mbappé is in. The France captain has been managing left-knee ligament inflammation since December, on top of a semitendinosus muscle injury this season — yet he still scored 41 goals for Real Madrid in 2025-26, and early-June reports say his fitness has clearly improved ahead of France's opener.

He is joined by reigning Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, with reported names including Maignan, Saliba, Koundé, Konaté, Upamecano, Tchouaméni, Rabiot, Kanté, Koné and Zaïre-Emery. Camavinga and Kolo Muani were reportedly left out. And here is one for the nostalgics: Mbappé, N'Golo Kanté and Lucas Hernandez are the only three survivors from the squad that lifted the trophy in 2018.

Are France favorites to win it all?

According to odds tracked by FOX Sports in early June 2026, France sit as second favorites at around +500, just behind Spain at +475 — and the two nations are co-favorites to reach the final at +240 each. Bookmakers are already dreaming of a France–Spain showdown.

"Mbappé trending fit, a Ballon d'Or winner in the dressing room and a winnable Group I: France haven't entered a World Cup with this much confidence since 2018."

Watch France vs Senegal — and all 104 matches — in 4K with Q4TV

Whether you are in Toronto, Miami or Brussels, the real challenge is getting every match in one place — including the French-language coverage your household actually wants. With a Q4TV subscription, you get 79,000+ live channels, including French broadcasters like M6 and beIN Sports plus Senegalese channels, all in 4K Ultra HD on anti-buffering dedicated servers built for live sport.

Activation is instant, support is available 24/7 on Telegram, and plans start at $15 for a full month with no contract. Q4TV works on Firestick, Samsung and LG Smart TVs, Apple TV, Android and iOS, with popular players like TiviMate, IBO Player Pro and IPTV Smarters. Set it up in minutes and be ready when the referee blows the first whistle on June 16 — for the next month, you won't miss a single kick.