First head coach sacked at the 2026 World Cup

With one game played so far in the tournament, the first head coach to get sacked at the 2026 World Cup has been confirmed

Tunisia have become the first team to sack their head coach at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after parting ways with Sabri Lamouchi following the country’s heavy opening defeat to Sweden.

The Tunisian Football Federation confirmed on Monday that an agreement had been reached to end Lamouchi’s tenure after the Carthage Eagles suffered a 5-1 loss in their Group F opener.

“An agreement has been officially reached to dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi,” the federation said in a statement posted on Instagram. “Plans are under way to appoint Mondher Kebaier as the national team coach on an interim basis.”

Lamouchi, 54, was only appointed in January but had come under increasing pressure in the build-up to the tournament. Tunisia endured a disappointing warm-up campaign, including a 5-0 defeat to Belgium in a friendly in Brussels.

The Frenchman, who previously guided Côte d’Ivoire at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, failed to lead the Elephants beyond the group stage and now leaves Tunisia after just a few months in charge.

Tunisia still have two Group F matches remaining and will hope to revive their World Cup campaign under new leadership. They face Japan on Saturday at the same stadium in Guadalupe where they were thrashed by Sweden, before concluding the group stage against the Netherlands in Kansas City.