Tunisia’s football federation didn’t even wait for the dust to settle. One day after a 5-1 demolition by Sweden in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener in Mexico, head coach Sabri Lamouchi was shown the door, making him the first manager in tournament history to be sacked after just one game at the finals.
A historic firing after a historic collapse
The Tunisian Football Federation announced Lamouchi’s dismissal on June 15, 2026, roughly 24 hours after Sweden put five goals past the Eagles of Carthage.
Lamouchi, 54, had been appointed in January 2026, giving him barely five months to prepare the squad for football’s biggest stage. In that window, he managed just one win across five matches.
The departure was described as a mutual agreement between Lamouchi and the federation. Mondher Kebaier has been mentioned as a potential interim replacement. He’s a familiar face in Tunisian football circles, and if appointed, he’d inherit one of the more unenviable situations in World Cup history: two group matches remaining, zero points on the board, and a goal difference that already looks like it needs a tourniquet.
