The 2026 World Cup is barely underway, and it already has its first coaching casualty. Sabri Lamouchi was dismissed as Tunisia’s head coach on June 15, one day after his side was dismantled 5-1 by Sweden in their Group F opener.

That makes Lamouchi the first manager sacked during this tournament. One match, one result, one pink slip.

What happened on the pitch

The June 14 match was not competitive for long. Sweden’s Yasin Ayari scored twice, while Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, and Mattias Svanberg each added a goal to complete the rout.

Omar Rekik grabbed a consolation for Tunisia. The Tunisian Football Federation terminated Lamouchi’s contract within 24 hours of the final whistle.

Reports indicate that Lamouchi himself anticipated the dismissal, with internal tensions reportedly building in the lead-up to the tournament.

A tenure measured in weeks, not years

Lamouchi, a 54-year-old French national, was appointed head coach of Tunisia on January 14, 2026. His entire stint lasted almost exactly five months.

In that time, he managed just five matches. The record reads: 1 win, 1 draw, 3 losses.

Tunisia now faces the rest of Group F under interim leadership from former player Wahbi Khazri. Their remaining fixtures pit them against Japan and the Netherlands.

History repeating itself

This isn’t new territory for Tunisian football. The country has a precedent for mid-tournament coaching changes, having previously sacked a manager during the 1998 World Cup in France.

That makes Tunisia one of the very few nations to have fired coaches at two separate World Cups.