Warning to Hugo Broos? African side sack coach after horror World Cup opener

Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi has become the first coach to lose his job at the 2026 World Cup following his sacking by Tunisia on Monday.

Tunisia’s World Cup campaign has been plunged into turmoil following reports that Lamouchi has been dismissed after a disastrous opening match.

The decision has been made in the immediate aftermath of the Carthage Eagles’ humiliating 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their Group F opener on Monday morning. According to Insight News Network, mounting pressure from fans and key figures within Tunisian football forced the federation to act swiftly.

Sabri Lamouchi is reported to have lost his job as Tunisia coach. Image: Imago

The loss has been described by football personalities in the North African country as one of the most painful and embarrassing defeats in the nation’s World Cup history. Sweden dominated the match from the outset, ruthlessly exposing significant defensive weaknesses and a lack of tactical cohesion in the Tunisian side.

Tunisia problems reportedly run deeper

Critics have reportedly labeled the performance a “system collapse,” suggesting the problems run deeper than a single poor result and point to fundamental issues with the team’s strategy and preparation.

The result leaves Tunisia’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stages in serious jeopardy. The team still faces daunting fixtures against group heavyweights the Netherlands and Japan.

Sabri Lamouchi has repprtedly been sacked by Tunisia. Image: Tunisia

Insight News Network claims the Tunisian Football Federation confirmed Lamouchi’s immediate dismissal, though an official public statement has not yet been released.

With no permanent replacement named, emergency talks are reportedly underway to appoint a successor to lead the team for the remainder of the group stage.

Broos and others in the spotlight now

The swift dismissal of Lamouchi turns the spotlight on other coaches at the World Cup whose campaigns started on a poor note among them Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos.

Broos’ system also collapsed against Mexico in the World Cup opener against Mexico last Thursday, when he went with a back five that his players struggled in, leading to a 2-0 loss and two red cards.

That has increased pressure on the 74-year-old ahead of Thursday’s match against Czech Republic and another capitulation would make it difficult for the Belgian, who is expected to leave his role after the World Cup.