France Beat Senegal 3-1 in FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener

France secured an impressive 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opening FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and Bradley Barcola adding another goal.

The match, played in New Jersey, featured an entertaining first half as both teams created chances but failed to find the breakthrough. France enjoyed the better opportunities early on, but star forward Mbappé was unable to convert. Senegal, meanwhile, combined solid defending with dangerous counterattacks, although they too were unable to turn their chances into goals.

The teams went into the halftime break locked at 0-0. The tempo increased significantly after the restart, and France’s persistence finally paid off in the 66th minute when Mbappé finished off a well-worked move to give his side the lead.

France doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute through Bradley Barcola, who calmly found the back of the net to make it 2-0. Senegal responded during injury time when Ibrahim Baye scored to reduce the deficit and set up a tense finish.

However, Mbappé had the final say. Deep into stoppage time, the French captain produced a superb strike to score his second goal of the match and France’s third, sealing a convincing 3-1 win.

The victory gives France a strong start to their World Cup campaign, while Senegal will look to bounce back in their next Group I fixture.