Tunisia sack coach Lamouchi after heavy World Cup defeat

Tunisia sacked head coach Sabri Lamouchi on Monday following a 5-1 loss to Sweden in their opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ali Abdi (L) of Tunisia and Gustaf Lagerbielke of Sweden fight for a head ball during the group F match between Sweden and Tunisia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Estadio Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 14, 2026. (Photo by Martin Zabala/Xinhua)

The Tunisian football federation announced the decision on its Instagram account.

"An agreement has been officially reached to dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi," the statement read. "Plans are under way to appoint Mondher Kebaier as the national team coach [on an interim basis]."

Tunisia will return to Monterrey Stadium, the scene of Sunday's defeat, to play Japan on Saturday before facing the Netherlands in Kansas City on June 25.

Lamouchi led Tunisia to one win, one draw and three losses following his appointment in January. He was already under pressure after a 5-0 friendly loss to Belgium in Brussels on June 6.

The Frenchman previously managed Cote d'Ivoire at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where the African team failed to advance beyond the group stage.

The 54-year-old joins a select group of managers to lose their jobs during a World Cup. Others include Henryk Kasperczak, who also parted ways with Tunisia after two games of the 1998 edition in France, and Cha Bum-kun, who was dismissed by South Korea during the same tournament.

In 2018, Spain sacked Julen Lopetegui two days before the start of the World Cup in Russia after he signed with Real Madrid.