France v Senegal: Back Les Bleus and 11/1 Bet Builder

France favoured to win Senegal shootout

Click here for France v Senegal odds
Tuesday 16 June, 20:00 kick-off
Live on BBC One
MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Group I Betting Guide

Winners in 2018 and beaten finalists in 2022, France are favourites again with a squad loaded with attacking talent. But they face a tough start to the campaign against a strong Senegal side who will be a big threat on the counter-attack.

Les Bleus are 4/91.44 favourites and have won nine of the last 11, but with just four clean sheets in that spell, Didier Deschamps' biggest concern is his side's ability to keep the back door shut.

France are unbeaten in their last five World Cup openers (W3 D2) - with their last defeat coming funnily enough against Senegal in 2002, while the French have also lost three of their last four group games against African sides. So Senegal won't be approaching this game feeling like 13/27.50 outsiders.

That 1-0 over France was Senegal's last World Cup finals clean sheet though, going 11 games without one since, while five of their last seven in the finals have seen over 2.5 goals. France's last nine games have also all had three goals or more.

So over 2.5 goals looks like the pick of the two at 20/231.87 - while the market doesn't fancy goals at both ends, as both teams to score is 21/202.05 with one team keeping a clean sheet odds-on.

Senegal are a decent side though, they've got bite and energy in midfield and quality in attack led by Sadio Mane. I can't see them winning a slugfest with this French attack but they should land blows.

Back big 11/112.00 Senegal Bet Builder

Kylian Mbappe is odds-on at 10/111.91 to score what would be his 13th World Cup goal as he chases down Miroslav Klose's all-time record of 16.

Michael Olise would be the top alternative as a 15/82.88 anytime scorer, coming fresh off a hat-trick in their last friendly, while the 9/52.80 on the Bayern man to have 2+ shots on target may be a touch more appealing.

Deschamps has options though, with Dembele, Doue, Barcola and Cherki all vying for minutes, so it may be best to wait and see who's preferred out of that lot before investing.

Instead, there's some value in Senegal's attackers getting some joy against a French defence that's not overly convincing. Mane's the obvious shout and at 4/15.00 to score anytime isn't the worst bet in the world.

And Mane's 10/111.91 for just 1+ shot on target is a solid Bet Builder leg to include, along with Ismaila Sarr, who is a standout in this market at 11/82.38 to hit the target, as he's done in five of seven for Senegal. The Palace man had a flying finish to the season so should hit the ground running here.

Senegal are never shy of getting stuck in. Top candidates for fouls include midfielder Pape Gueye, who averages 2.5 fouls per 90 minutes over his last 10 games, and left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf who averages just over two in that same span and will have Olise to deal with.

Gueye is 4/61.67 and Diouf is priced at 5/61.84 and both offer excellent prospects as Bet Builder legs. Include one or both in your player props accas, but we'll go for broke here and include the pair along with our two shots on target shouts.

Notable winners on Betting.Betfair so far at the 2026 World Cup...

- Mark Stinchcombe's stunning 38/139.00 Bet Builder in South Korea v Czechia
- Paul Higham's 9/25.50 Bet Builder in Mexico's MD1 defeat of South Africa
- Paul also tipped 13/53.60 (Canada v Bosnia) & 15/82.88 (Brazil v Morocco) draws
- A 6/17.00 winning ACCA for Mark on Sunday at the World Cup
- Andy Robson's 9/110.00 five-leg ACCA as Germany wallop Curacao

Now read Alan Shearer and get his England v Croatia prediction