The Tunisian Football Federation has dismissed head coach Sabri Lamouchi following Tunisia’s 5-1 defeat to Sweden in the team’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The decision makes Lamouchi the first manager to lose his job during the tournament after the Tunisian Football Federation moved quickly in the aftermath of the heavy Group F defeat on June 14.
The crushing loss sparked frustration among supporters and led to an emergency board meeting, where officials decided to part ways with the 54-year-old coach just one game into the competition.
Lamouchi was appointed in January 2026 after Tunisia’s irregular Africa Cup of Nations campaign and oversaw only five matches during his short spell in charge.
His departure comes after a difficult run of results before the World Cup. Tunisia struggled to build momentum under his leadership, suffering friendly defeats to Austria and Belgium before playing out a goalless draw against Canada.
The defeat to Sweden was particularly damaging given Tunisia’s defensive record during qualification.
The Carthage Eagles had reached the World Cup without conceding a single goal, making the five goals shipped against Sweden a shocking collapse.
Sweden’s attack exposed Tunisia throughout the contest as the North Africans suffered one of their heaviest defeats on football’s biggest stage.
Attention now turns to who will take charge of the team for the remainder of the tournament.
Reports indicate former Tunisia international Wahbi Khazri, who is currently part of the technical crew, and former coach Mondher Kebaier are among the leading candidates to assume interim responsibility.
The new technical leadership will have little time to settle in, with Tunisia facing a must-win Group F clash against Japan on June 21 before concluding their group campaign against the Netherlands.
Tunisia remains without a point after one match and must quickly recover if it is to keep its hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
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