Tunisia have announced the departure of head coach Sabri Lamouchi, just one game into their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign. The decision follows a comprehensive 5-1 defeat by Sweden in Sunday's Group F tie held at the Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, Mexico. The Tunisian Football Association (FTF) confirmed that the Frenchman's contract was terminated by "mutual agreement", making Lamouchi the first manager in World Cup history to be dismissed after only one match.
Reports of Lamouchi's immediate sacking began circulating shortly after the heavy loss, though initial indications suggested he had taken training the following day. However, the FTF's subsequent statement clarified the situation, adding that "plans are under way to appoint Mondher Kebaier as the national team coach." This swift change in leadership underscores the high-stakes nature of international football tournaments and the pressure on teams to perform from the outset.
Lamouchi, formerly manager of Nottingham Forest, had only been appointed to the role in January, succeeding Sami Trabelsi. Trabelsi's departure came after Tunisia's exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, following a last-16 defeat to Mali. Lamouchi's brief tenure saw him oversee just five matches, securing a single victory – a 1-0 win against Haiti in his debut game. His side's World Cup preparations also proved challenging, with a 1-0 loss to Austria and a significant 5-0 thrashing by Belgium in warm-up fixtures earlier this month.
Speaking after the disappointing result against Sweden, Lamouchi acknowledged the severity of the loss. He described the defeat as "painful" and highlighted the team's errors: "Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult. We made too many mistakes, and this is not something that we can do. We are shooting ourselves in the foot, we are hurting ourselves." These comments now stand as his final public remarks as Tunisia's head coach.
Tunisia still has two remaining fixtures in Group F, where they are scheduled to face Japan and the Netherlands. The incoming coach, expected to be Mondher Kebaier, will face the immediate challenge of galvanising a team that has started their World Cup campaign in disarray and restoring confidence ahead of these crucial matches.