Tunisia’s 2026 World Cup campaign is barely underway, yet the nation’s football federation has already made a dramatic change. Head coach Sabri Lamouchi has been dismissed just days after a crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden, a result that exposed deep concerns and left the Carthage Eagles fighting for survival in Group F.
The decision marks a swift and ruthless end to Lamouchi’s brief tenure. Appointed in January following Tunisia’s Africa Cup of Nations disappointment, the former Ivory Coast and Nottingham Forest manager lasted only five matches before losing his job.
“An agreement has been officially reached to dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi,” the Tunisian Football Federation announced. The federation added that preparations were underway to appoint former national team boss Mondher Kebaier on an interim basis.
While the scoreline against Sweden ultimately proved decisive, the warning signs had been present for months. Tunisia won just one of Lamouchi’s five matches, a narrow victory over Haiti, and arrived at the World Cup on the back of a troubling 5-0 defeat to Belgium in a warm-up fixture.
The statistics from the Sweden match painted a worrying picture. Tunisia enjoyed slightly more possession but struggled to create meaningful chances, producing only six shots and generating just 0.37 expected goals. Sweden were far more clinical, recording 13 attempts and seven shots on target before running away with the contest.
The manner of the defeat was particularly concerning. Tunisia fell behind within seven minutes, trailed 2-1 at the break, and were overwhelmed in the second half as Sweden’s attacking quality took control.
Now attention turns to who can rescue their campaign. Kebaier, who guided Tunisia between 2019 and 2022 and helped lay the foundations for their previous World Cup qualification, is one candidate. Former international star Wahbi Khazri has also emerged as a possible interim option after beginning his coaching journey within Lamouchi’s staff.
Whoever takes charge faces an immediate challenge. Tunisia must earn a positive result against Japan to keep realistic hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive before a daunting final group match against the Netherlands.
