AFCON 2025: Tunisia sack Sami Trabelsi after early exit

Tunisia have parted ways with head coach Sami Trabelsi following the Carthage Eagles’ elimination from the 2025 1xBet CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The decision was announced by the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) on Sunday, less than 24 hours after Tunisia crashed out of the tournament at the Round of 16 stage. The North Africans were edged out by Mali on penalties after a 1–1 draw that extended into extra time.

In a statement confirming the development, the federation said the contract of Trabelsi and his technical crew was terminated by mutual consent, attributing the decision to the team’s premature exit from the competition.

“The Executive Committee has decided, by mutual agreement, to end the contractual relationship with the entire technical staff of the national team,” the FTF said.

The move follows growing criticism from fans and pundits over Tunisia’s overall showing at the tournament, despite early optimism generated during the group stage.

Tunisia began their campaign with a convincing 3–1 win over Uganda, briefly raising hopes of a strong run. However, a 3–2 loss to Nigeria and a 1–1 draw against Tanzania in their final group match exposed issues of inconsistency.

Those concerns resurfaced in the knockout clash against Mali. Despite taking the lead and playing against ten men for a significant portion of the match, Tunisia failed to capitalise and were eventually eliminated via penalties.

The Round of 16 exit proved decisive for Trabelsi, whose side struggled to deliver sustained performances throughout the competition.

Tunisia’s latest disappointment underlines the continued challenge of replicating past continental success, with their only AFCON triumph dating back to 2004, when they won the title on home soil.