Group I · Matchday 1
FrancevsSenegal
2026-06-16·15:00 localPredictions finalised
The forecast
Match-outcome probability
- France win54.6%
- Draw27.2%
- Senegal win18.2%
A 203-point Elo gap frames this as a significant mismatch, yet the model still gives Senegal a 12% probability of a result — enough to make this more than a formality.
Why the model says this
Favoring France
- ·Elo advantage of 203 points over Senegal
- ·Expected goals 1.49 vs 0.83
Favoring Senegal
- ·H2H record: 2W-0D-0L in 2 meetings
What the model can't fully price
- ·Squad availability: 3 carrying a fitness doubt across the two squads, 2 of them projected starters. The forecast does not adjust for who is missing: its lineup channel currently contributes zero, so this is context the probabilities do not include.
Form check
France
ImprovingFrance: 5W-1D-0L in their last 6 internationals.
5W-1D-0L in last 6
Senegal
ImprovingSenegal: 5W-0D-1L in their last 6 internationals.
5W-0D-1L in last 6
Analysis
How it plays out
France's balanced setup will need to hold shape against Senegal's direct transition game. The risk for France: getting caught between attacking and defending. Senegal's aggressive press (PPDA 21.2) against France's deeper build-up (PPDA 26.1) creates a clear territory question: can Senegal force errors high up, or will France play through the press and find space behind it?
What decides it
Senegal will concede possession willingly and attack in transition. Their defensive block needs to hold without fouling in dangerous areas. Marcus Thuram carries the marginally higher scoring probability (8.6% vs 4.6%).
Off the pitch
Didier Deschamps (14 years in charge of France) vs Pape Thiaw (2 years). That tenure gap shows up in squad familiarity and set-piece coordination.
The angle
France are the defending champions. That brings quality but also the weight of being everyone's scalp match.
▸Goals & scorelines
Likeliest score 1–0 (15.4%) · xG 1.5 - 0.7
Expected goals
Mean of the Dixon-Coles joint goal distribution. Same fit that produces the most-likely-scoreline list below.
Most likely scorelines
- 1–015.4%
- 1–112.5%
- 2–012.0%
- 0–011.5%
- 2–18.8%
From the Dixon-Coles joint Poisson with the low-score correction. Scorelines are listed in probability order; this is a description of the model's distribution, not a recommendation.
Most likely half-time scorelines
- 0–033.4%
- 1–024.0%
- 0–111.5%
- 1–19.6%
- 2–09.2%
Same Dixon-Coles fit as the full-time list above, with rates halved to a 45-minute window and the low-score correction applied to that 1st-half block. The 0-0 row sits higher here than at full-time because fewer minutes have elapsed.
Goal totals
- More than 0.5 goals88.5%
- More than 1.5 goals66.0%
- More than 2.5 goals38.5%
- More than 3.5 goals18.6%
- More than 4.5 goals7.6%
- More than 5.5 goals2.6%
- Both teams score41.1%
Each row is the probability the match finishes with more than the listed number of goals. Both-teams-to-score is the probability each side scores at least once. All values are marginals of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid that produces the scoreline list above — not market lines or any other operator construct.
Event-typed probabilities
- France clean sheetOpposing team scores zero48.0%
- Senegal clean sheetOpposing team scores zero22.4%
Derived from the same Dixon-Coles joint distribution as the scoreline list. These are descriptive event probabilities — see CLAUDE.md §3/§4 (formerly COMPLIANCE.md §4.2.7) for the framing the project uses.
Win-margin probability
- France by 4+3.8%
- France by 3+11.7%
- France by 2+28.7%
- France by 1+54.7%
- Draw27.7%
- Senegal by 1+17.6%
- Senegal by 2+5.2%
- Senegal by 3+1.1%
- Senegal by 4+0.2%
Each row is the probability the match ends with the listed margin or larger in that direction. Marginal of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid; the “by 1+” rows plus the draw row sum to 1.
▸How the match unfolds
Over 2.5 goals 38.5% · BTTS 41.1%
Game state through the match
- France ahead55.4%
- Level26.2%
- Senegal ahead18.4%
Probability of each game state at minutes 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 — derived from two independent thinned-Poisson processes with the Dixon-Coles per-team rates. The three lines always sum to 1 at each minute. The right column shows the state at the match's closing minute.
When the first goal arrives
- 0–1531.0%
- 15–3021.4%
- 30–4514.8%
- 45–6010.2%
- 60–757.0%
- 75–904.8%
- No goal10.8%
Probability the match's first goal arrives in each 15-minute window. Homogeneous Poisson with combined rate λ = λh + λa from the Dixon-Coles fit; the seven rows (six windows + no-goal tail) sum to 1.
Half-time / full-time grid
| HT ↓ / FT → | HFrance win | DDraw | ASenegal win |
|---|---|---|---|
| HFrance ahead | 35.7% | 4.0% | 0.8% |
| DLevel | 17.9% | 18.5% | 7.2% |
| ASenegal ahead | 1.8% | 4.0% | 10.2% |
Each cell is P(half-time result, full-time result). All nine cells sum to 1. Derived from a halved-λ Dixon-Coles fit for the first half plus an independent-Poisson second-half convolution.
Comeback probability
- France trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT5.8%
- Senegal trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT4.8%
Joint probability — P(side trailing at half-time AND avoiding defeat at full-time). NOT conditional on trailing at HT. Derived from the same half-time / full-time decomposition that produces the HT/FT grid above; a tied first half is neither a home nor an away comeback opportunity.
Cards
- Expected yellow cardsMean of the Poisson on total yellow cards.3.45
- Total yellows over 2.567.0%
- Total yellows over 3.545.3%
- Total yellows over 4.526.5%
- Any red cardP(at least one red card in the match).9.5%
Referee not yet assigned. Using the 2026 pool-mean per-match rate as a placeholder; the model picks up the referee's personal rate once the assignment is published. Total yellow cards modelled as a Poisson with mean equal to two team baselines plus the referee's deviation from the pool mean. Reds are modelled the same way, independently. See /docs/methodology/.
▸Teams & players
Top scorer: Thuram (8.6%)
Match detail
France
Model-rated key players: Marcus Thuram (FW) — P(scores) 8.6%; Kylian Mbappé (FW) — P(scores) 4.1%; Bradley Barcola (FW) — P(scores) 3.3%.
France under Didier Deschamps play a balanced game with 51% possession. Their likely shape is a 4-2-3-1, though they have also used 4-3-3. They sit deeper and pick their moments to press (PPDA 26.1) and build patiently through midfield with 7.5 passes per attacking sequence.
France will need to leverage their strengths while managing the physical demands of a tournament spread across three host countries. Managing the fitness of Kylian Mbappé could prove decisive — their availability transforms the team's ceiling.
Senegal
Model-rated key players: Bamba Dieng (FW) — P(scores) 4.6%; Nicolas Jackson (FW) — P(scores) 4.3%; Boulaye Dia (FW) — P(scores) 4.9%.
Senegal under Pape Thiaw play a transition heavy game with 47% possession. Their likely shape is a 4-2-3-1, though they have also used 4-3-3. They apply moderate pressing intensity (PPDA 21.2) and move the ball forward quickly at 5.3 passes per attack.
Senegal rely on defensive discipline and quick transitions — absorbing pressure and converting turnovers into attacking chances. Concentration and defensive organisation for full 90-minute stretches will determine whether the approach holds against top opposition. Managing minutes for Idrissa Gueye across what could be seven matches will test the coaching staff's rotation planning.
France's predicted XI averages 2,336 club minutes over the 2024-25 season (moderate load). Senegal's predicted XI averages 1,712 club minutes over the 2024-25 season (light load).
France coverage: 92.0% (11/11 XI matched against the FBref Big-5) · Senegal: 73.0% (10/11).
France historically converts 16.4% of xG from set-pieces, contributing 0.24 expected set-piece goals in this fixture. Senegal converts 8.1% from set-pieces (0.06 expected). Combined, the model expects 0.30 set-piece goals across the 90 minutes.
- P(France scores set-piece goal) 21.7%
- P(Senegal scores set-piece goal) 5.7%
- P(set-piece goal in match) 26.2%
France: Florian Thauvin on corners (70 corners) (per fbref 2020 21) · Senegal: Pape Matar Sarr on corners (7 corners) (per fbref 2021 22)
If a penalty is awarded to France, the model gives 73.3% conversion, 72.5% for Senegal.
France primary PK: Marcus Thuram (4/5 in 2018-19, per fbref 2020 21) · Senegal primary PK: Boulaye Dia (5/5 in 2020-21, per fbref 2021 22).
Derived from the model's per-fixture forecast joint and supporting reference data (predicted squads, set-piece xG share, PK posteriors, club minutes). See /docs/methodology/ for the full methodology.
Tactical forecast
- PPDA
- 26.1
- Possession
- 51%
- Directness (yds/pass)
- 5.2
- Long balls/90
- 28
- Set-piece xG
- 16%
- PPDA
- 21.2
- Possession
- 47%
- Directness (yds/pass)
- 7.3
- Long balls/90
- 43
- Set-piece xG
- 8%
Style profile per side from StatsBomb open-data aggregation across recent international tournaments (Euro 2020/2024, Copa America 2024, AFCON 2023, World Cup 2018/2022). The tactical-fingerprint badge maps each team’s observed style vector into one of eight canonical archetypes via a rule-based classifier; teams with fewer than three matches of qualifying coverage carry an “insufficient-data” label rather than being forced into a default. Sides outside the StatsBomb-open corpus use FotMob team match stats from recent qualifiers and friendlies instead (possession and shot volume only), marked as partial coverage. PPDA = passes the side allows per defensive action (lower = more intense press). Formation distributions are not yet produced — that head of the §2.7 classifier is pending its own data pull. See /docs/methodology/.
Squad depth
Most irreplaceable starters
France
- N'Golo KantéDefensive midfieldNo natural backup0.43gap
- Aurélien TchouaméniDefensive midfieldNo natural backup0.26gap
- Kylian MbappéStrikerCover: Jean-Philippe Mateta · 0.770.21gap
Senegal
- Sadio ManéWingerCover: Ibrahim Mbaye · 0.440.38gap
- Nicolas JacksonStrikerCover: Cherif Ndiaye · 0.520.34gap
- Édouard MendyGoalkeeperCover: Yehvann Diouf · 0.490.29gap
Gap = how far a side's rating at the position falls from the starter to his likely in-squad replacement (named under each name). Larger = harder to replace. Descriptive metric, does not feed the published probabilities. Methodology →
Match conditions
- AltitudeNear sea level7 m
- Avg temperatureFive-year mean over the tournament window23.8 °C
- Avg humidity71%
- Heat stressShade WBGT ~25.7 °CLow heat stress
- Pitch surfacetemporary natural grass over artificial turf
Artificial-turf NFL stadium; a temporary hybrid natural-grass pitch is being installed over the turf for the tournament, including the final.
Heat stress is a shade Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature proxy from the venue's climatology mean temperature and humidity; FIFA mandates cooling breaks at WBGT 32 °C. Afternoon kickoff (local time). These are long-window averages, not a match-day forecast, and they are not inputs to the forecast.
Top scorers · P(scores in this match)
- Marcus ThuramPKFW8.6%
- Kylian MbappéFW4.1%
- Bradley BarcolaFW3.3%
- Bamba DiengFW4.6%
- Nicolas JacksonFW4.3%
- Boulaye DiaPKFW4.9%
Per-player scoring rate from Model #5 (`p_score_per_match`). Reflects each player's npxG/90, expected minutes, team xG share, and the average opposing-team defence. See /docs/methodology/.
Recent match form
Last match player ratings
France
vs Sweden · avg 7.6
Senegal
vs Belgium · avg 6.2
Player scores from official highlight analysis of each team's most recent match. Observational, not a model input. Methodology →
Video analysis: player performance
Per-player ratings and event breakdowns from official highlights analysis. Tap a player to see their full match timeline.
9Kylian Mbappé56'–66'Scored two decisive goals and was a constant, clinical threat in attack, leading his team to victory.
1goals2shots2on target2fouls won▼
Scored two decisive goals and was a constant, clinical threat in attack, leading his team to victory.
Match timeline
8Bradley Barcola82'–82'Came off the bench to score a crucial goal with a composed finish, extending France's lead.
1goals▼
Came off the bench to score a crucial goal with a composed finish, extending France's lead.
Match timeline
7Mike MaignanMade crucial saves at key moments, maintaining his team's lead.
Made crucial saves at key moments, maintaining his team's lead.
6Désiré Doué48'–73'Showed good attacking intent with multiple shots on target, though unable to convert.
2shots2on target▼
Showed good attacking intent with multiple shots on target, though unable to convert.
Match timeline
8Édouard Mendy48'–73'Made numerous crucial saves, preventing France from scoring more goals and keeping Senegal in contention.
5saves▼
Made numerous crucial saves, preventing France from scoring more goals and keeping Senegal in contention.
Match timeline
7Ibrahim Mbaye90'–90'Scored a late consolation goal, showing good footwork and a composed finish.
1goals▼
Scored a late consolation goal, showing good footwork and a composed finish.
Match timeline
6El Hadji Malick Diouf1'–1'Had an early shot on target, showing attacking intent.
1shots1on target▼
Had an early shot on target, showing attacking intent.
Match timeline
5Ismaila SarrShowed attacking threat but squandered a clear scoring chance and had a goal disallowed.
Showed attacking threat but squandered a clear scoring chance and had a goal disallowed.
4Nicolas Jackson24'–90'Created several good chances but failed to convert any, impacting his team's ability to score.
3shots2on target1headers▼
Created several good chances but failed to convert any, impacting his team's ability to score.
Match timeline
Match observations
- The match saw France secure a 3-1 victory over Senegal in a game that came alive in the second half.
- France grew into the game, with Kylian Mbappe proving decisive with two goals, supported by strong attacking contributions from his teammates.
- The game featured a VAR review for a potential penalty, which was ultimately overturned, adding to the drama.
▸Under the hood
Model-by-model comparison
France vs Senegal
| Model | Weight | Home | Draw | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EloRating-based strength estimate | 32% | 72.6% | 22.0% | 5.4% |
| Dixon-ColesGoal-process model with low-score correction | 63% | 55.1% | 27.5% | 17.4% |
| Hierarchical PoissonBayesian model with confederation pooling | 6% | 56.0% | 25.9% | 18.0% |
| Bayesian stackingLearned-weight combination | — | 67.7% | 27.2% | 5.1% |
| Ensemble (published)Uniform average + isotonic calibration | — | 62.6% | 25.6% | 11.8% |
How each model works
- Elo
- Each team carries a single strength rating updated after every match by a margin-aware K-factor. Match probabilities come from the logistic function of the rating gap. Elo is fast-adapting but coarse — it sees only who won and by how much, not how the goals were scored.
- Dixon-Coles
- A Poisson regression on team-level attack and defence parameters, fitted via maximum likelihood with an exponential time-decay weighting. The Dixon-Coles correction adjusts the four low-score cells (0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1) where independent Poisson underestimates dependence. Produces full scoreline distributions, not just H/D/A.
- Hierarchical Poisson
- A Bayesian Poisson model fitted via MCMC (PyMC) with hierarchical priors that pool attack and defence parameters within confederations. Shrinks small-sample teams toward their confederation mean — helpful for nations with few recent competitive fixtures. Slower to fit but better-calibrated on the tails.
- Bayesian stacking
- Optimises simplex weights (w_elo, w_dc, w_hp) to maximise the leave-one-out log-score across a walk-forward backtest (Yao et al. 2018). The result is a weighted average of the three component models' probabilities, then isotonic-calibrated. Adds no extra features — just learns which component to trust more from historical accuracy.
- Ensemble (published)
- Equal-weight average of all three component models, followed by per-class isotonic regression calibration fitted on 24 months of walk-forward out-of-fold predictions. This is the probability published on the site. The uniform mean is deliberately simple — it avoids overfitting to the stacking weights' training window.
Three independent component models feed two combination strategies. The uniform ensemble is the published probability; Bayesian stacking uses learned weights. Amber bars flag >5pp divergence from the published number. Full methodology
Probability decomposition (transparency surface)
- Baseline ensemble — P(France win)54.6%
- + Lineup contribution0.0pp
- + Style-matchup contribution0.0pp
- Published P(France win)54.6%
Decomposition of the published P(France win) into the calibrated- baseline plus contributions from the §2.3 expected-XI lineup delta and the §2.7 style-matchup interaction. The §2.7 roadmap is explicit that style effects are second-order to team strength — single-digit-percentage P(win) shifts on extreme style matchups, near-zero on balanced ones. We surface the decomposition for transparency even when the contributions are small; the baseline carries the prediction. Methodology: /docs/methodology.
For this fixture both contributions round to under 0.05pp — the fitted style-matchup pair effect is in the small-magnitude regime the model expects to dominate.
Head-to-head history
| Date | Competition | Venue | Score | Result | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jun 2026 | FIFA World Cup | NEast Rutherford | 3–1 | W | — |
| 31 May 2002 | FIFA World Cup | NSeoul | 0–1 | L | — |
| 18 Apr 1963 | African Friendship Games | ADakar | 0–2 | L | — |
France vs Senegal, every senior international meeting in the martj42 results dataset (score from France's perspective; H/A/N = home/away/neutral).
Latest news & match context
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- France v Spain - who would England rather face in the World Cup final? · Daily Mirror — Football · 14 Jul
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- How and where to watch Spain vs. France 2026 World Cup match: TV channel, streaming options · The New York Times · 14 Jul
- Stage:
- Group I · Matchday 1
- Date:
- 16 Jun
France and Senegal both come in at close to full strength, so the forecast rests on baseline team strength rather than late team-news swings.
Availability from the predicted squads and injury feed; forecast adjustments from the model's own decomposition. See /docs/methodology/.
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