The Tunisian Football Federation has appointed Herve Renard as the new national team head coach ahead of their critical 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F match against Japan at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
The appointment followed the immediate dismissal of former coach Sabri Lamouchi by mutual agreement after Tunisia suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden in their opening group game.
>>> Japan Faces Tunisia in Crucial World Cup Group Match
According to reports from the Mirror, the rapid managerial change aimed to stabilize the squad after defensive weaknesses and locker room tensions emerged following the loss.
Renard accepted the position immediately upon being approached by Tunisian football authorities, taking over leadership for the remainder of the tournament.
The 57-year-old French manager becomes the first person to guide three different nations at consecutive World Cup tournaments, following his previous stints with Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
"When the federation contacted me, I didn't hesitate for a second," said Renard.
The veteran manager acknowledged the scale of the task ahead as Tunisia seeks to bounce back in Group F after securing only one win in their last five matches under Lamouchi's brief tenure since January.
"It's a challenge that isn't easy, but it's a motivating challenge," said Renard.
Upon arriving at the team training base in Monterrey, Renard focused on lifting player morale and addressing tactical issues before the fixture against Japan, which enters the game following a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands.
