Tunisia have sacked head coach Sabri Lamouchi hours after a 5-1 thrashing by Sweden in their World Cup opener, making him the first manager to lose his job at the 2026 tournament. Mondher Kebaier returns to take charge.
Tunisia have sacked head coach Sabri Lamouchi just hours after a chastening 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) called an emergency meeting straight after the final whistle in Monterrey and moved to dismiss the 54-year-old with immediate effect.
The decision makes Lamouchi the first manager to lose his job during the 2026 World Cup. News of the dismissal was broken by journalist Romain Molina and quickly confirmed by Tunisian outlets including Jawhara FM and Mosaïque FM, with reports pointing to dressing-room tension on top of the heavy scoreline.
It was a brutal afternoon in Group F. Tunisia had clawed back to 2-1 just before half-time, but a catastrophic second half saw Sweden run riot — Yasin Ayari, a midfielder of Tunisian descent, scoring twice against the country of his heritage. The four-goal margin also leaves Tunisia's goal difference in tatters before the group has really begun.
The reign was as short as it was troubled. Lamouchi was only appointed on 14 January 2026, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal after Sami Trabelsi left in the wake of a last-16 exit at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. He lasted just five games: a 1-0 win over Haiti was followed by a goalless draw with Canada and defeats to Austria, a 5-0 friendly hammering by Belgium, and now Sweden — 10 goals conceded across the final two.
What makes the collapse so jarring is Tunisia's qualifying form. The Carthage Eagles came through CAF qualifying unbeaten and conceded only one goal, one of the meanest defences on the continent. That solidity vanished on the biggest stage.
Mondher Kebaier, who led Tunisia at the 2022 World Cup during a previous spell in charge from 2019 to 2022, has been lined up to step back in, with Wahbi Khazri's name also floated amid the upheaval. Whoever takes the dugout faces a daunting task: a must-win clash with Japan on 20 June, with the Netherlands also waiting in Group F.