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Tunisia have confirmed the appointment of Hervé Renard as head coach for the remainder of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the Tunisian Football Federation announcing on Instagram that Renard will take charge of the national team “until the end of the 2026 World Cup, to carry out his duties starting this evening.”
The announcement comes after the federation took ruthless, historic action by parting ways with head coach Sabri Lamouchi following a catastrophic opening defeat, marking one of the quickest managerial firings in modern World Cup history.
Lamouchi’s tenure ended after just five games in charge, with the 54-year-old Frenchman leaving with one win, three losses, and a draw. His appointment had only come in January, when he replaced Sami Trabelsi following Tunisia’s Africa Cup of Nations exit. He becomes the first manager to ever be sacked just one game into a World Cup campaign.
The rot set in decisively on Sunday when Sweden handed Tunisia a devastating 5-1 thrashing at the Monterrey Stadium.
Yasin Ayari, whose father is Tunisian, netted twice, with Viktor Gyökeres, Mattias Svanberg, and Alexander Isak also scoring. It was Sweden’s highest-scoring World Cup match since 1938. The scoreline was particularly damaging because it dismantled a defensive reputation Tunisia had carefully built through qualifying.
For Renard, 57, the role marks a return to a stage he knows well. This will be his third World Cup with different national teams, having led Morocco in 2018 and Saudi Arabia in 2022, where his side famously defeated eventual champions Argentina in the group stage. Beyond the World Cup, Renard is an experienced coach who has won the Africa Cup of Nations with both Zambia and Ivory Coast.
The federation’s statement also noted that “the agreement opens negotiations after the end of participation in the World Cup, for long-term cooperation based on specific sporting goals,” suggesting the appointment could extend well beyond the tournament.
The task ahead is steep, with Tunisia having their remaining group games against Japan on June 20 and the Netherlands on June 25.
Tunisia have qualified for the World Cup on six occasions but have never progressed beyond the group stage. Renard will have precious little time to reorganise a rattled squad before their must-win clash against Japan, but if his track record is anything to go by, he is the right man for a rescue mission.
