Saudi Arabia v Senegal prediction, lineups & tips: World Cup warm-up in San Antonio

Both Saudi Arabia and Senegal arrive at Toyota Field in San Antonio knowing this is their last chance to get things right before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off. It is a fixture that, on paper at least, serves very different purposes for the two camps. Senegal, ranked 14th in the world, need to smooth over the cracks exposed by a 3-2 defeat to the United States eight days ago. Saudi Arabia, ranked 61st and led by a coach appointed only weeks ago, are simply trying to build some coherence before they face Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde in Group H.

The circumstances around Saudi Arabia's dugout would test any squad's confidence. The Saudi Football Federation sacked Hervé Renard on 17 April before turning to Greek coach Georgios Donis just weeks before the finals. Donis confirmed his final 26-man squad ahead of FIFA's 2 June deadline and has urged realism over romance, fully aware of the gap in class his side will face in Group H. Saudi Arabia's pre-tournament record bears that out: three defeats in their last four fixtures, with their only win, a 3-0 thumping of Puerto Rico, offering little in the way of genuine reassurance. Against Ecuador, Donis set up in a 4-2-3-1, with Sultan Mandash scoring from the bench for his maiden international goal. Plenty of questions remain unanswered ahead of Uruguay on 15 June.

Senegal have their own concerns despite a far stronger squad. Pape Thiaw's side went 2-0 down inside 20 minutes against the USA before Sadio Mané's brace drew them level, only for Folarin Balogun to seal a 3-2 win for the Americans. Thiaw acknowledged after that game that the Lions of Teranga were second best for long periods, adding: "This team really put us in difficult situations but we have to congratulate them. We will continue our preparation, we know that we have a busy week ahead of us as we continue to be ready for the 16th." The coach has since been occupied by a more pressing matter: the fitness of captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who has been sidelined with a thigh injury picked up in training at Al Hilal. On top of that, the controversy surrounding Senegal's AFCON 2025 title, claimed against Morocco but subsequently stripped by CAF's Appeal Board, with the case pending before CAS, provides unwanted backdrop noise.

Donis used a 4-2-3-1 in the Ecuador friendly and is unlikely to deviate sharply for a final dress rehearsal. Senegal's 4-3-3, which delivered an unbeaten qualifying run, should be close to full strength in attack even if Koulibaly's absence forces a defensive reshuffle.

Saudi Arabia: Al-Owais; Abdulhamid, Al-Tambakti, Lajami, Al-Amri; Kanno, Al-Khaibari; Al-Dawsari, M. Abu Al-Shamat, Al-Juwayr; Al-Buraikan

Senegal: Mendy; Diatta, Niakhaté, Seck, Jakobs; Gueye, L. Camara, P.M. Sarr; I. Sarr, Jackson, Mané

The match kicks off at 01:00 BST on Wednesday 10 June 2026 (00:00 local time Tuesday 9 June in San Antonio). No confirmed UK broadcast deal for this friendly has been announced. Viewers in the United States should check Fox Sports and FS1 for coverage. Streaming options may be available via fuboTV in the US. Check your regional broadcaster closer to kick-off.