For Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s 2026 World Cup campaign left more than disappointment. It left a bitter taste—the feeling that a team with the talent and potential to go all the way had failed to finish what it started. Speaking in Kigali during the SportsBiz Africa Forum on Thursday, the former Senegal coach reflected on the country’s World Cup campaign while making a broader case for greater ambition and investment in African football. Thiaw believes the continent is closer than ever to producing a team capable of winning the biggest prize in world football. “We have the expertise, we have the talent,” Thiaw said, arguing that the performances of African teams at recent World Cups show that the continent is no longer simply taking part. ALSO READ: Golf, esports and investment headline SportsBiz Africa Week in Kigali He pointed to the progress made by African nations on the global stage, saying the gap between the continent’s leading teams and the world’s best is narrowing. Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup provided a landmark moment for African football. Thiaw believes the performances of other leading African teams have since reinforced the idea that reaching the latter stages of the competition is no longer an unrealistic ambition. “We're not far off,” he repeated. But for the former Senegal international, talent alone will not be enough. The bigger question, he said, is whether African football is prepared to make the level of investment required to turn its potential into a World Cup triumph. Thiaw argued that sporting ambition must take priority over immediate financial considerations. In his view, countries serious about winning the World Cup must be prepared to invest heavily, even when there is no guarantee of an immediate return. “When entering this competition, you have to go all in,” he said. “You have to invest, even if you have to lose.” His comments are rooted in personal experience. Senegal entered the 2026 World Cup with high expectations around a squad capable of competing at the highest level. But after taking a two-goal lead against Belgium in the knockout stage, the Lions eventually suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat after extra time. For Thiaw, the elimination was particularly painful because of what he believed the team could have achieved. “It was a disappointment and a bitter taste, especially given the potential of our national team,” he said. The sense of an unfinished job has stayed with him. Thiaw had hoped Senegal could become the first African nation to lift the World Cup trophy. “I thought I would be the first to do it,” he said. That ambition, however, has not disappeared with the defeat. Instead, the experience appears to have strengthened his belief that African nations need to be more ambitious in how they prepare for the World Cup. Thiaw questioned an approach in which the financial rewards associated with competitions can become more important than the sporting objective itself. African nations, he argued, must be willing to invest in preparation, infrastructure, technical development and their national teams if they genuinely want to compete for the trophy. “For me, honour is more important than money,” he said. His message at the SportsBiz Africa Forum therefore extended beyond Senegal. The gathering brought together figures from across Africa’s sporting ecosystem to discuss the business, investment and development of sport on the continent. For Thiaw, it was an opportunity to connect his experience as a player and coach with a broader conversation about the future of African sport. He believes the continent already has the essential ingredients. “The talent is there. The expertise is there. The performances are improving,” he said. What remains, he argued, is the willingness to make the necessary investment and approach the World Cup not simply as a competition to participate in, but as a trophy Africa can realistically win. Senegal’s latest campaign may have ended in disappointment, but Thiaw refuses to see the result as evidence that Africa is incapable of going all the way. Quite the opposite. For him, the gap is closing. “We're not far off,” he said. And perhaps the bitter taste left by Senegal’s World Cup exit is precisely what he hopes will fuel the next attempt to make African football history.
