Tunisia cannot be treated as a team with little experience in the World Cup. It participated in the 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018 and 2022 editions, and its beginning in Argentina in 1978 was remarkable, when it achieved a historic victory over Mexico 3-1, becoming the first Arab and African team to win a match in the World Cup. But the problem is that this date did not later turn into a big leap, as all Tunisian participation remained limited to the group stage.
Technically, Tunisia enters the tournament in a situation that requires balance. The team played very strong qualifiers, finishing them without any loss and without conceding any goals, after achieving 9 victories in 10 matches and scoring 22 goals. These numbers give a picture of clear defensive solidity, but they do not negate that the World Cup is a completely different level, especially against teams that are faster and more capable of punishing mistakes.
At the level of technical leadership, Sabri Lamouchi came to head the technical staff in January 2026, after Tunisia’s exit from the 16th round of the Africa Cup of Nations and the dismissal of Sami Trabelsi. Lamouchi is not starting from scratch, but he is entering a major tournament and is required to quickly reset the team, especially after he made clear changes to the roster.
The most prominent feature of the Tunisian list is that it is not based on one international star, but rather on an organized group. Elias Al-Sakhiri remains the most prominent name in the middle, along with elements such as Hannibal Al-Majbri and Anis Ben Slimane, while Rani Khedira is a notable addition after changing his sporting nationality from Germany to Tunisia. On the other hand, Lamouchi’s choices carried clear messages, with the exclusion of captain Ferjani Sassi and defender Yassine Meriah, in a move that confirms that the coach wants a new formula for the national team before the World Cup.
The Tunisia draw was difficult and balanced at the same time. The team fell into Group Six alongside the Netherlands, Sweden and Japan. He will start his campaign against Sweden in Monterrey, then face Japan in the same stadium, before concluding the first round against the Netherlands in Kansas City.
The first match against Sweden will be the key to the story. A physical and organized team, with European experience, which means that Tunisia will be required to at least not lose. As for facing Japan, it may be the most difficult in terms of rhythm and speed, because the Japanese team has become one of the most mature and organized Asian teams. On the other hand, facing the Netherlands seems to be the most expensive technically, so entering it with points from the first two matches may be very necessary.
Tunisia’s ambition is clear: to break the first-round knot. The national team does not enter the World Cup as a candidate to top the group, but it has enough to be annoying if it maintains its defensive solidity and finds bolder offensive solutions. Tunisian success this time will not be measured merely by attendance, but rather by its ability to transform the long experience in the World Cup into a new step that has not yet been achieved and is long overdue.
