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Tunisia Look to Put World Cup Nightmare Behind Them in AFCON 2027 Qualifiers
The Eagles of Carthage begin a new chapter with major squad changes as they turn their attention to Africa.
A Rebuild Begins Just Two Months After the World Cup
Tunisia return to competitive action with a mission that goes far beyond picking up three points. After a World Cup campaign to forget, the Eagles of Carthage begin their road to AFCON 2027 against Uganda on September 24, with Mouine Chaâbani tasked with rebuilding a team still dealing with the disappointment of the tournament.
Chaâbani took charge in late July, replacing Hervé Renard and signing a four-year contract. His appointment marked the beginning of a new project aimed at restoring Tunisia's competitiveness both in Africa and on the international stage.
The first signs of change are already clear. Chaâbani has retained only 14 players from Tunisia's World Cup squad, combining that core with several experienced returning internationals and a group of players receiving new opportunities with the senior national team.
Tunisia Are Trying to Move On From a World Cup Nightmare
The scale of the rebuilding job becomes much clearer when looking at Tunisia's World Cup numbers.
The Eagles of Carthage lost all three of their matches and were eliminated in the group stage. Tunisia scored only two goals while conceding 12, ending their campaign without a single point.
The disappointing tournament also led to a change on the bench. Renard left his position following Tunisia's elimination, with Chaâbani subsequently appointed to lead the national team's new cycle.
The immediate challenge is now to prevent that World Cup disappointment from carrying over into an AFCON qualifying campaign where every result could prove significant.
Ferjani Sassi, Aïssa Laïdouni and Ali Maâloul Return
Chaâbani's rebuild does not mean Tunisia are starting completely from scratch.
Ferjani Sassi, Aïssa Laïdouni and Ali Maâloul have all been recalled to provide experience during the opening international window. Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, Hamza Rafia, Sayfallah Ltaief and Amine Cherni are also back in the squad.
At the same time, Chaâbani is beginning to introduce a new generation. Samy Chouchane, Sadok Kedida and Mohamed Nasraoui have received their first senior call-ups, highlighting the coach's attempt to balance experience with fresh talent.
There are also some notable absences. Hannibal Mejbri is unavailable through injury, while Ali Abdi, Elias Saad, Saîf-Eddine Khaoui, Firas Chaouat and Issam Jebali were not selected. Elyes Skhiri has retired from international soccer.
Uganda and Botswana Provide the First AFCON 2027 Tests
Tunisia's new era begins immediately with two competitive matches. The Eagles of Carthage host Uganda on September 24 before facing Botswana on September 28.
Tunisia were drawn into Group H alongside Uganda, Botswana and Libya. There is an important wrinkle to the group: Uganda have already qualified for AFCON 2027 as one of the three co-hosts alongside Kenya and Tanzania.
Under CAF's qualifying format, in groups featuring one of the host nations, only the highest-ranked team other than the host will claim the additional qualification spot. That makes a strong start particularly important for Tunisia.
AFCON 2027 Offers Tunisia a Chance to Start Again
The qualifying campaign will span six matchdays, with additional international windows scheduled for November 2026 and March 2027. The AFCON 2027 finals will be staged across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
For Tunisia, however, the first challenge is much more immediate: rebuilding confidence.
Chaâbani can now use the AFCON qualifiers as the starting point for a different Tunisia. His first squad, combining established internationals with several new faces, provides the first glimpse of how he intends to reshape the Eagles of Carthage.
The 2026 World Cup delivered one of the toughest chapters in Tunisia's recent history. Two months later, the clash with Uganda provides their first competitive opportunity to begin writing a new one.
Key Takeaways
- Tunisia lost all three matches at the 2026 World Cup, scoring twice and conceding 12 before beginning a new era under Mouine Chaâbani.
- Only 14 World Cup players remain in the squad, while Ferjani Sassi, Aïssa Laïdouni and Ali Maâloul are among the experienced names returning.
- Uganda and Botswana are Tunisia's first opponents as the Eagles of Carthage begin their push to qualify for AFCON 2027.
