Sabri Lamouchi’s stint as Tunisia’s national football team head coach might be one of the shortest managerial reigns in World Cup qualifying history. The Tunisian Football Federation dismissed Lamouchi after he oversaw just a single match in the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign, a decision that sent shockwaves through the footballing world in mid-June 2026.

Tunisia sits at the bottom of their Group B standings with a solitary point from four qualifying matches.

How it all unraveled

Lamouchi was appointed on January 14, 2026, brought in to steady a ship that was already taking on water. He replaced Sami Trabelsi, who departed after Tunisia’s disappointing exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Eagles of Carthage were knocked out earlier than their pedigree suggested they should have been.

Tunisia had already played three qualifying matches before Lamouchi took charge, and the results from those games contributed to the dismal one-point haul from four outings. His sole match in charge failed to produce the turnaround the federation was hoping for, and the decision-makers in Tunisian football moved quickly.

One point from four games tells the whole story

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, features an expanded 48-team format. That expansion was supposed to make qualification easier for African nations, with the continent receiving more slots than in previous tournaments.

Tunisia has appeared at six FIFA World Cups, making them one of Africa’s most consistent qualifiers historically. The last time they missed out on a World Cup was 2014, and they bounced back to feature in both 2018 and 2022.

What happens next for Tunisia

The Tunisian Football Federation now faces the task of finding yet another coach, with only two qualifying matches remaining. For Lamouchi personally, the dismissal is a notable footnote on his resume: one match, one result, one sacking.