A video showing members of Senegal's national football team undergoing security checks at a US airport has sparked controversy ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The footage, which has circulated widely on social media, appears to show Senegal players and staff being screened with metal detectors on the airport tarmac in San Antonio after disembarking from a flight. Luggage was also visible near the team as the checks were carried out before they continued their journey.
Several social media users criticised the treatment, claiming the checks were excessive and questioning why they were conducted on the tarmac. Some users also alleged that other teams, including Spain, were not subjected to similar procedures. Others claimed Uzbekistan's team faced comparable checks in New York.
The Senegalese Football Federation has not yet issued a statement on the matter.
The incident comes as Senegal prepares for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States. The squad includes several high-profile players, including former Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane and defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Mane, 34, currently plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr and is among the biggest names in Senegal's 26-member squad selected by head coach Pape Thiaw.
Senegal will compete in Group I alongside France, Norway, and Iraq.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams. It will also include a record 10 African representatives, with Senegal among the continent's leading contenders.
No official explanation for the security procedures seen in the video has been released so far.