Tunisia fires coach Lamouchi after 5-1 World Cup loss to Sweden
In brief
- Tunisia dismissed coach Sabri Lamouchi 24 hours after losing 5-1 to Sweden in their World Cup opener on June 15, 2026.
- Lamouchi becomes the first manager in World Cup history sacked after a single match at the finals.
- The 54-year-old had only five months to prepare, winning just one of five pre-tournament matches.
- Mondher Kebaier mentioned as potential interim replacement for the Eagles of Carthage.
- Tunisia faces Japan and Netherlands in remaining group-stage matches with zero points.
A Short Tenure Ends Abruptly
Lamouchi was appointed in January 2026, giving him barely five months to prepare the squad for one of football's biggest stages. That timeline proved insufficient. In that window, he managed just one win across five matches — a record that signaled deeper structural problems beyond a single poor performance.
The 54-year-old former French international had coached at club level across Europe and previously managed Ivory Coast's national team. Yet neither his experience nor his recent appointment could shield him from the swift consequences of such a lopsided opening defeat.
Mutual Agreement, Immediate Transition
The departure was described as a mutual agreement between Lamouchi and the federation. Mondher Kebaier has been mentioned as a potential interim replacement.
Tunisia now enters a period of uncertainty. The team still has two games left in the group stage, facing Japan and the Netherlands, with zero points and a minus-four goal difference after the Sweden loss. Rebuilding momentum under new leadership in such circumstances is a steep task.
