Tunisia has officially terminated the contract of head coach Sabri Lamouchi following the team`s disastrous start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The decision was confirmed by the Tunisian Football Association shortly after the side suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden in their Group F opening fixture at Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, Mexico.
While initial reports of the dismissal surfaced immediately after the match, the association later clarified that the 54-year-old coach`s contract was terminated by mutual agreement. Former Morocco and Saudi Arabia manager Herve Renard has been appointed as the new head coach for the remainder of the tournament. This decision marks a historic moment in World Cup football, as Lamouchi becomes the first manager ever to be sacked after overseeing only a single match in the competition.
Lamouchi’s tenure as Tunisia boss lasted only five months. He was appointed in January, replacing Sami Trabelsi following an Africa Cup of Nations exit. The Frenchman managed only one victory during his short stint, which was a 1-0 win against Haiti. Recent preparatory fixtures had already signaled struggles, including a 5-0 loss to Belgium and a 1-0 defeat to Austria earlier this month.
Speaking after the defeat to Sweden, Lamouchi described the loss as painful and acknowledged that the team committed too many errors. He stated that the squad had hurt themselves with poor decision-making on the pitch. The Tunisian Football Association now hopes that the appointment of Renard will provide the necessary stability to compete in their remaining Group F fixtures against Japan and the Netherlands. The team faces a steep uphill climb to qualify for the next round after such a demoralizing start to their campaign.
