Tunisia sack coach Sabri after opening-day humiliation

Tunisia have become the first team to make a managerial change at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after dismissing head coach Sabri Lamouchi following a crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening Group F match in Monterrey, Mexico.

The Tunisian Football Federation confirmed the decision just days after the heavy loss, which left the Carthage Eagles' World Cup campaign in serious jeopardy. Lamouchi had only been appointed in January 2026 on a contract running until 2028, but a poor run of results ultimately proved costly.

Tunisia's defeat to Sweden was one of the heaviest losses suffered by any African side at the tournament so far.

Sweden's attack overwhelmed the North Africans, exposing defensive weaknesses that had not been evident during qualification. Before the World Cup, Tunisia had built a reputation as one of Africa's strongest defensive teams, having conceded very few goals on their road to qualification. However, that resilience disappeared against Sweden.

After the match, Lamouchi admitted his team's shortcomings, saying: “It's a difficult loss. It's painful. Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult.” He added that Tunisia had made “way too many mistakes” and needed to “give a better image” in their remaining matches.

The defeat was not the only factor behind the decision. Tunisia won just one of the five matches played under Lamouchi's leadership. The team defeated Haiti 1-0 in March but later lost to Austria and suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat against Belgium in a World Cup warm-up match.

In announcing the change, the federation confirmed the appointment of experienced French coach Hervé Renard until the end of Tunisia's World Cup campaign. The federation said discussions over a longer-term agreement would take place after the tournament based on sporting objectives and results.

Renard arrives with an impressive international résumé. He is a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner and famously led Saudi Arabia to a stunning victory over eventual champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. More recently, he coached the French women's national team before returning to Saudi Arabia and guiding them to qualification for the 2026 tournament.

Tunisia now face a must-win clash against Japan before taking on the Netherlands in their final group-stage match. With their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, the federation hopes Renard's arrival can spark an immediate turnaround.