Tunisia Fire Coach Sabri Lamouchi After 5-1 World Cup Thrashing by Sweden

A short and turbulent tenure

Lamouchi, the 54-year-old former French international, was only appointed in January 2026 with a contract running until July 2028 . He took charge of just five matches before his dismissal, winning only once—a 1-0 friendly victory over Haiti .

Signs of trouble emerged quickly. Reports of tension within the Tunisian camp surfaced almost immediately after the Sweden loss, with arguments allegedly breaking out among squad members at the stadium and later at the team hotel . On Monday morning, when asked by ESPN about Lamouchi's future, a Tunisian FA spokesperson would only say, “We have a problem with the coach” .

Several news outlets noted that Lamouchi himself expected to be removed before the team's next match .

The scale of the defeat

Tunisia's 5-1 loss to Sweden was one of the most lopsided results in the country's World Cup history. The team is now bottom of Group F with 0 points and a -4 goal difference after the first round of matches .

The group features a steep path to the knockout stage. Sweden tops the table with 3 points and a +4 goal difference. Japan and the Netherlands, who drew 2-2 in their opener, sit second and third respectively with 1 point each . Tunisia next face Japan on June 21, followed by the Netherlands.

What comes next for Tunisia

Kebaier’s immediate task is simply to steady the ship. While Tunisia have not yet been mathematically eliminated, the manner of the Sweden loss and the abrupt coaching change leave them with a narrow path to progression.

The FTF’s decision is only the fourth occasion a team has sacked a manager mid-tournament, and the first to do so after an opening game . It follows a broader pattern of instability: Lamouchi’s predecessor was also relieved of duties in late 2025, and Lamouchi himself had been sacked from his previous club role just weeks before taking the Tunisia job .

For now, the focus shifts to Kebaier and whether the former boss can rally a squad that qualified for this World Cup with a dominant campaign, going unbeaten through CAF qualification while conceding zero goals . The contrast between that disciplined run and the chaos of Round 1 could hardly be starker.