The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) has officially decided to fire head coach Sabri Lamouchi with immediate effect, according to Tunisian media reports. The federation is now racing against time to appoint an interim manager to lead the Carthage Eagles for the remainder of their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.
This dramatic decision comes directly after Tunisia’s humiliating 5-1 defeat against Sweden in their tournament opener in Monterrey, Mexico.
The heavy loss has triggered massive public outrage. Furthermore, several FTF officials firmly believed that keeping the 54-year-old French tactician in charge would pave the way for a major disaster in the upcoming critical group matches against Japan and the Netherlands.
Who Will Succeed Lamouchi? Khazri and Kebaier in the Frame
Discussions are currently underway to name Lamouchi’s immediate successor. Two primary options have emerged on the table:
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Wahbi Khazri: Promoting Lamouchi’s assistant and former national team legend to take over on an interim basis for the Japan and Netherlands matches.
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Mondher Kebaier: The veteran Tunisian manager’s name has also been heavily put forward to steady the ship due to his extensive experience.
The End of a Short, Turbulent Era: Lamouchi took charge of Tunisia last March, replacing Sami Trabelsi, who was fired following a disappointing round-of-16 exit against Mali in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
While Lamouchi had a decent start in March—winning 1-0 against Haiti and drawing with Canada—everything collapsed during the pre-World Cup preparation. Tunisia suffered a 1-0 friendly loss to Austria, followed by a brutal 5-0 thrashing by Belgium, before their final 5-1 World Cup meltdown against Sweden, which ultimately sealed the manager’s fate.
