Tunisia Parts Ways with Sabri Lamouchi After World Cup Opener
Tunisia and head coach Sabri Lamouchi have mutually agreed to terminate his contract, following a heavy 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Group F clash took place on Sunday in Monterrey, Mexico.
"Too many mistakes," Lamouchi admitted after the loss.
Hervé Renard Takes Over
Hervé Renard has been appointed as the new head coach for the remainder of the tournament. Renard brings a wealth of experience, having previously won the Africa Cup of Nations with both Zambia and Côte d'Ivoire. His World Cup pedigree includes coaching Morocco in 2018 and Saudi Arabia in 2022, where his team famously defeated eventual champion Argentina. He has also managed the French women's national team.
Background
Lamouchi was appointed as Tunisia's head coach in January. He was under significant pressure following a 5-0 pre-tournament loss to Belgium and had faced media scrutiny over his son's presence at the training camp.
This is not the first time Tunisia has made a mid-tournament coaching change at a World Cup. In 1998, Henryk Kasperczak was fired after group-stage losses to England and Colombia.
Upcoming Matches
Tunisia, making its seventh World Cup appearance, has never advanced from the group stage. The team's remaining Group F opponents are:
- Japan (match scheduled for June 18)
- Netherlands (match scheduled for June 26)
The Netherlands drew 2-2 with Japan in their own opening match.