Head coach Patrick Vieira unveiled a 26-man squad on Thursday 5 November without Sadio Mané, the Al-Nassr forward being absent for family reasons. He remains in the running for a third African Player of the Year title.
The news has been officially confirmed: Sadio Mané is not among the 26 players selected by Patrick Vieira for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. According to RFI, relayed by Archysport, the Al-Nassr forward has been left out because his child is due to be born imminently.
The head coach himself owned the decision, stressing that it was taken in consultation. Kalidou Koulibaly, Pape Gueye and Lamine Camara are, however, very much in the squad unveiled on Thursday 5 November.
Vieira speaks of a joint decision
Patrick Vieira did not shy away from the subject. “There will be an event during this get-together. He wants to be close to his family and that is something I understand,” said the head coach, quoted by Archysport.
The coach continued: “We agreed between the two of us that he could stay close to his family, because that is what he wanted to do.” The decision thus appears to have been taken by mutual agreement.
A third African crown in his sights
While Senegal prepare for their fixture, Mané remains in the running for the 2026 African Player of the Year title. He is one of three Senegalese in contention, alongside Ismaïla Sarr, of Crystal Palace, and Pape Gueye, of Villarreal, according to Footafrica.net.
Already a winner in 2019 and 2022, Mané could become the first Senegalese to be crowned three times. Voting runs from 5 to 20 November 2026, with an independent audit announced by CAF. The ceremony is set for 2 December 2026 at the National Theatre in Lagos, at 18:00 GMT, marking the return of the CAF Awards to Lagos for the first time since 2014.
Eighteen categories will be rewarded, including African Player of the Year for men and women. Senegal has seven nominations across six categories, including that of Ibrahim Mbaye among the young players, according to Pressafrik.
The attack will have to reinvent itself against Sudan
Without Mané or Ismaïla Sarr, Senegal’s attack must reinvent itself. According to wiwsport, Iliman Ndiaye and Ibrahim Mbaye must step up against Sudan on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 19:00 GMT at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.