Tunisia sack head coach Sami Trabelsi after early AFCON 2025 elimination

Nii Ayitey Brown 09:28 - 05 January 2026

Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi.

Tunisia’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign came to a bitter and dramatic end in Morocco, and the fallout was swift.

The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) announced the dismissal of head coach Sami Trabelsi, after their Round of 16 elimination at the 2025 AFCON, bringing an abrupt end to his short second spell in charge of the Carthage Eagles.

The decisive blow came at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, where Tunisia were knocked out by Mali after a tense penalty shootout. The North Africans had appeared on the brink of qualification when they scored a late goal in the 88th minute, only to surrender their advantage in stoppage time.

After extra time failed to produce a winner, Mali prevailed on penalties, despite having played much of the contest with ten men. Tunisia’s inability to manage the game under such favourable circumstances proved costly.

Playing against a numerically inferior opponent, the Carthage Eagles struggled to impose control, failed to kill off the match, and ultimately paid the price. Sami Trabelsi, 57, had only returned to the role in February 2025, tasked with stabilising the national team after a period of inconsistency.

While his reign was brief, it was not without achievement. Under his guidance, Tunisia successfully secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

That accomplishment, however, was not enough to offset the disappointment of an early continental exit. Tunisia’s AFCON campaign had shown signs of fragility even before the knockout stage.

An uneven group-stage performance raised concerns about cohesion, creativity and game management issues that resurfaced decisively against Mali. The Round of 16 defeat ultimately convinced the federation that a change in leadership was necessary.

In a statement released, the Tunisian Football Federation confirmed that it had parted ways with Trabelsi and his technical team.

The decision underlined the high standards and expectations placed on the national team, particularly given Tunisia’s long-standing reputation as one of Africa’s most consistent sides.

The dismissal brings Trabelsi’s second tenure to an end, more than a decade after he first coached the national team between 2011 and 2013.

His return had been seen as an attempt to restore discipline and experience to the setup, but the AFCON exit proved decisive.Attention now turns to the future.

The federation is expected to begin an immediate search for a new head coach as Tunisia looks ahead to upcoming international fixtures and prepares for the demanding road to the 2026 World Cup.

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