Can Tunisia finally break through at the World Cup?

Submitted by

Bassil Mikdadi

Sun, 06/14/2026 - 13:45

The Carthage Eagles have never advanced beyond the group stage, and administrative turmoil and selection controversies threaten to undermine this years hopes of a historic breakthrough

Tunisian defender Montassar Talbi plays the ball during a friendly against Austria on 1 June 2026 (Joe Klamar/AFP)

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Consistency breeds success, or so the saying goes.

Since 1998, Tunisia has appeared in twice as many World Cup finals as its neighbours.

In continental competition, Tunisia holds the record for 17 consecutive Africa Cup of Nations qualifications stretching back to 1994, an achievement that has led to them being nicknamed "the Germans of Africa".

For all their consistency, however, Tunisia have failed to secure the iconic legacy of some less successful teams in the region.

Algeria and Morocco won admiration for their deep tournament runs in 2014 and 2022 respectively. Even Saudi Arabia, whose World Cup record includes more than one heavy defeat, can point to a famous 2-1 victory over eventual champions Argentina at Lusail Stadium in 2022.

Tunisian supporters want their team to create similar indelible memories, but hope has increasingly turned into cynicism.

Reaching the World Cup – no easy feat – is no longer viewed as an achievement in itself.

Sustained success has become a burden for Tunisia, whose supporters expect more but have been left watching a team that gets results while often lacking style.

"A kid sitting at home watching the World Cup is not going to see Tunisia and adopt them as a second team," an African football journalist told Middle East Eye earlier this week.

"They have no attractive star players bursting onto the scene and don't play good football."

The bedrock of Tunisia's consistency has been its unwavering team spirit. African qualification campaigns are notoriously difficult, and away matches often become battles of attrition decided by a team's ability to stick together under difficult circumstances.

Star-studded Cameroon and Nigeria are not at the World Cup finals this year, in large part because they failed to navigate those challenges. Tunisia, by contrast, qualified without conceding a single goal.

Those characteristics are summed up in one word by fans and analysts alike: grinta. The Italian term is now widely understood around the Mediterranean and can be translated as courage, determination or fighting spirit.

The limits of consistency

Tunisia's fans sometimes forget that a nation of just over 12 million people does not possess the same resources as some of its rivals.

Morocco and Algeria have nearly three and four times Tunisia's population respectively, as well as much larger diasporas in Europe from which to draw talent.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are among the wealthiest countries in the world, while Tunisia is classified by the World Bank as a lower-middle-income country.

Economic stagnation over the past two decades has meant Tunisian football has had to invest wisely to remain competitive.

Clubs are reluctant to hand out large contracts, while foreign managers have become something of an endangered species. At the time of writing, only two of the 16 managers in Tunisia's top flight are foreigners.

Financial constraints have also encouraged clubs to focus on player development. As a result, Tunisian clubs have developed a reputation for incubating talent, including overlooked players from across the continent.

Algeria's all-time leading goalscorer, Baghdad Bounedjah, was largely overlooked in his home country before signing for Etoile du Sahel in 2013. The move earned him a call-up to the Algerian national team the following year and eventually led to a $3.8m transfer to Al Sadd in 2016.

Tunisia's talent-exporting business has since expanded into European markets, with players leaving earlier in their careers. It is a trend born of economic necessity. Government support for football has declined, while revenue from television rights and merchandising remains limited.

Following Morocco's success in 2022, Tunisians are eager to see their own team advance beyond the group stage for the first time.

"Regarding our chances of qualification, honestly I am a very optimistic person," the founder of ActuFootTunisie, a website dedicated to covering Tunisian football, told MEE.

"Tunisia is capable of aiming for second place, but we must remain realistic. A third-place finish and qualification as one of the best third-placed teams is possible. It would be a first for the country and a very successful result for us."

Squad has potential

That spirit is now under threat, largely because new manager Sabri Lamouchi has decided to overhaul the squad.

Only five members of the 26-man squad were present at the last World Cup, while several senior figures have been left out, including former captains Ferjani Sassi, Ali Maaloul and Yassine Meriah.

Among the newcomers is Germany-born Rani Khedira, who previously turned down approaches from the Tunisian Football Federation and told German media in 2015: "There was never the idea of going to Tunisia."

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The inclusion of Khedira over fan favourites such as Aissa Laidouni and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane has angered some supporters.

"The inclusion of Rani Khedira at the expense of other veterans is obviously a shame because others played all the qualifying matches and he still appears opportunistic," said the founder of ActuFootTunisie. "But now that he is here, he represents our country and he is Tunisian, so we support him."

He was otherwise positive about the squad selection.

"It is a good squad with many young players, unlike before when there were perhaps too many experienced players. The squad has potential."

One of the youngest members of the squad, Khalil Ayari, had been a professional footballer for only a year and a half when he joined Paris Saint-Germain from Stade Tunisien at the start of the 2025-26 season. Ayari is one of 12 players in the squad born in the 21st century.

New faces

The need for renewal in the squad became increasingly evident as it became clear that the status quo was broken.

Tunisia put together a lacklustre performance in the two tournaments leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A strong team was brought to Qatar to compete in the Fifa Arab Cup in December, but that group suffered a 1-0 loss to Syria in its opening game and then conspired to throw away a 2-0 lead in a 2-2 draw against Palestine en route to a group-stage exit.

The Carthage Eagles did make the knockout stages of the 2025 AFCON a month later but were unconvincing and badly exposed in games against Africa's upper echelon. The team's star midfielder, Hannibal Mejbri, did not mince words following the team's Round of 16 elimination by Mali.

"We're late in our football, and that, we have to say, we're behind on a lot of things," said the Premier League star. "We all have to sit around a table, all the leaders of Tunisian football, and ask each other the real questions."

The executive brass of the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) came up with an answer to at least one of those questions by hiring Sabri Lamouchi, a former French international footballer of Tunisian origin, in January 2026.

The move was seen as a way to placate fans who had criticised a string of six local managers who have taken the reins of the national team since 2018.

Lamouchi promised change when he was introduced to the media in January and, given the number of new and young faces in the squad, he has delivered on that promise.

Selection controversy

The team list is not without controversy.

A recent report claimed that some of Lamouchi's selections were mandated by executives within the FTF.

According to the report, a certain quota of players from Tunisia's biggest clubs had to be selected to ensure those clubs would receive financial compensation from Fifa.

The world's governing body pays clubs $10,950 per player per day in compensation for their services. The total amount paid to clubs exceeded $209m for the 2022 World Cup.

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The report represents a serious indictment of the new regime at the FTF.

Wadie Jary, the organisation's former president, was arrested in 2023 and is currently serving a four-year prison term after being found guilty of corruption and match-fixing. Much of the new leadership – including FTF President Moez Nasri and Vice President Hussein Jenayah – were part of Jary's inner circle.

There are more questions than answers as the Carthage Eagles prepare to fly to Mexico. Doubts remain about the inner workings of the FTF and the financial health of football in Tunisia.

This will also be Sabri Lamouchi's first tournament, and only five holdovers remain from the 2022 squad that, for all its shortcomings, had grinta in spades.

Time will tell whether a managerial change and a sweeping overhaul of the squad will yield Tunisia's first-ever appearance in the knockout stage of the Fifa World Cup.

However, the prominent sports journalist, Maher Mezahi, isn't so confident.

"If this team is to win a game, it won't be by more than one goal," he told MEE.

"And given their style of play, the ceiling might be just two points [from three games]."

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