The Tunisian Football Federation announced on the evening of Sunday, January 4, that it has officially terminated the contracts of the entire national team technical staff.
This decision follows the team’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON 2025) in Morocco, where the Eagles of Carthage were eliminated in the round of 16 on Saturday. In an official statement released on its Facebook page, the federal board confirmed that it had reached a mutual agreement to end the contractual relationship with the senior national team’s coaching staff.
Reports from Tunisian media indicate that head coach Sami Trabelsi finalized the amicable termination of his contract during a high-level meeting held in Rabat, Morocco. The departure comes in the wake of a disappointing loss to Mali, where the 2004 AfCON winners were knocked out following a 1–1 draw that ended 3–2 in favor of Mali after a penalty shootout. Tunisia’s journey through the tournament had been inconsistent, beginning with a 3–0 win over Uganda, followed by a 3–2 loss to Nigeria and a 1–1 draw against Tanzania during the group stages.
Sami Trabelsi’s history with the Carthage Eagles is extensive, as he was first appointed as manager in March 2011 after serving as an assistant coach. He originally resigned in 2013 following the team’s failure at that year’s Africa Cup of Nations. He made his return to the national team in February 2025 with the intention of preparing the squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the current continental tournament. However, his second stint ended prematurely after he failed to meet the federation’s goal of reaching at least the quarterfinal stage of the competition.
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