Tunisia have become the first nation to dismiss their head coach during the 2026 FIFA World Cup after parting ways with Sabri Lamouchi following a crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match.
The Tunisian Football Federation confirmed Lamouchi’s departure on Monday, less than 24 hours after the North Africans were dismantled by Sweden in Guadalupe.
“An agreement has been officially reached to dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi,” the federation said in a statement posted on Instagram.
The federation added that former Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier is expected to take charge on an interim basis as the team attempts to rescue its World Cup campaign.
The decision comes after a disastrous start to the tournament and follows growing pressure on Lamouchi in the weeks leading up to the World Cup.
Tunisia were heavily beaten 5-0 by Belgium in a pre-tournament friendly in Brussels, raising concerns about the team’s form and preparedness before travelling to North America.
Those fears were brutally exposed against Sweden, who ran riot in a one-sided contest.
Sweden’s victory was inspired by a brace from midfielder Yasin Ayari, while Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak also got on the scoresheet. Tunisia’s only response came through Omar Rekik.
The defeat reportedly triggered an emergency meeting by Tunisian football officials immediately after the match, culminating in Lamouchi’s dismissal.
The 54-year-old had only been in charge since January, having been appointed following the departure of Sami Trabelsi after Tunisia’s disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
His tenure lasted just five matches, with his sole victory coming in a 1-0 win over Haiti.
Lamouchi, a former midfielder who previously managed Ivory Coast at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, has now endured group-stage exits in both of his appearances as a World Cup coach.
He is also well known to English football fans for his spell as manager of Nottingham Forest.
While managerial dismissals during a World Cup are rare, Tunisia’s decision is not without precedent.
The country famously sacked coach Henryk Kasperczak during the 1998 World Cup after a poor start to the tournament. South Korea also dismissed coach Cha Bum-kun during that same competition, while Spain parted ways with Julen Lopetegui just days before the 2018 World Cup began after he agreed to join Real Madrid.
Tunisia now face an uphill battle to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Kebaier’s first task will be preparing the team for Saturday’s crucial clash against Japan in Guadalupe before a difficult final group-stage encounter against the Netherlands.
Following the heavy defeat, Tunisia defender Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida apologised to supporters and admitted costly mistakes had contributed to the embarrassing result.
“We suffered a heavy defeat because of small details and mistakes,” he said.
“At this level, against a team like Sweden, when you make such serious mistakes, you pay a heavy price.”
With their tournament hanging by a thread, Tunisia will now hope a change in leadership can spark an immediate response before it is too late.
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