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Rabat – Senegal’s arrival in the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has triggered debate after footage and social media reports suggested that the team faced serious security concerns shortly after landing.
Members of Senegal’s national team appeared to undergo strict security screening on the airport tarmac after arriving in the US.
The footage circulating online showed players and staff near their luggage as security checks were carried out before the team continued its journey.
But the controversy did not stop there. Separate posts circulating on social media show that Senegal’s team bus was later surrounded by large crowds after arriving at the team’s residence, creating a chaotic scene with little visible control or law enforcement presence.
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The video shows that players were unable to immediately step out of the bus as people crowded around the vehicle.
Why has the Senegalese FA not spoken?
The Senegalese Football Federation has not issued the kind of strong public reaction many expected, especially considering how quickly and sharply it reacted in Morocco before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Before Senegal’s final against Morocco, the federation publicly complained about several issues.
Among them were security concerns after players were reportedly met by large crowds at Rabat train station, as well as complaints related to accommodation, ticket allocation, and training arrangements.
At the time, Senegal’s officials framed the situation as a major organizational failure. Their criticism was direct, public, and forceful. And they said that player safety and sporting fairness were not negotiable.
That is exactly why the current silence in the US looks strange.
If Senegal’s players were searched on the tarmac, and if their team bus was later surrounded by crowds near their residence, why has the federation not shown the same level of outrage? Why no fierce statement? Why no demand for answers? Why no public pressure on local organizers?
The contrast is difficult to ignore.
Double standards under the spotlight
This situation puts Senegal’s football leadership in an uncomfortable position. When the incident happened in Morocco, Senegal’s reaction was loud and immediate.
Morocco, despite hosting Senegal in a major continental final and providing a high-level tournament environment, was strongly criticized by Senegalese officials.
Now, in the US, after confirmed reports of strict airport security checks and unconfirmed but widely circulated claims of crowd disorder around the team bus, Senegal’s response appears far more cautious.
That raises a fair question: is the Senegalese FA equally brave when the host country is the US?
Criticism should not depend on the name of the country involved. If player safety was important in Morocco, it must also be important in America.
If crowds around players were unacceptable in Rabat, they should also be unacceptable in the US. If security standards were worth public condemnation before the AFCON final, then the same standards should apply before the World Cup.
Anything else creates the impression of selective outrage.
The coach’s position also matters
The spotlight is not only on the federation. Senegal’s coaching staff also faces questions.
Before the AFCON final, Senegal’s camp did not hesitate to speak about what they considered unfair or unsafe conditions in Morocco.
That public pressure helped shape the narrative before the match and placed Morocco’s organization under scrutiny.
Now, the football world is watching to see whether the same energy will appear again.
Will Senegal’s coach speak clearly about the treatment of his players in the US? Will he demand better protection and organization? Or will the strong tone used against Morocco disappear now that the issue involves a much more powerful host nation?
