Senegal Opts for New Brunswick, New Jersey, FIFA World Cup Base Camp

Senegal’s Men’s National Soccer Team has selected Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, as its chosen team base camp training site for the duration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The news was confirmed by Chris Paladino, president of the New Brunswick Development Corporation, in a Facebook post.

“Mayor (James) Cahill welcomed members of the Senegal national football team to New Brunswick,” Paladino wrote. “We are excited that the team from Senegal will be training at Rutgers and staying in New Brunswick.”

While the team’s specific lodging destination in New Brunswick has not yet been disclosed, it is known that Rutgers University previously hosted Portuguese club FC Porto during the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in June last year.

Rutgers University’s sports facilities include the Hale Center (football), Rodkin Center (lacrosse) and the Golden Dome Athletic Center in Newark, as well as SHI Stadium (football), Jersey Mike’s Arena (basketball) and multiple fitness centers.

The team ranked 12th in the FIFA World Rankings will utilize Yurcak Field, which is the home venue of the Scarlet Knights’ men’s and women’s soccer teams. The facility also includes two nearby practice soccer fields, and all three consist of natural grass.

Senegal will compete in Group I in this summer’s showpiece tournament, beginning with a game against 2018 world champions France in New York New Jersey on June 16. They will return to the same venue on June 22 to take on Norway and will finish their group stage campaign against an intercontinental play-off winner (either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname) in Toronto on June 26.

FIFA World Cup Preparations

Read the full list of confirmed base camps so far here.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has been expanded to 48 teams, will begin with Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 in Mexico City, with the final being held on July 19 in New York New Jersey.