World Cup 2026 Leaves 17 Coaching Changes After the Tournament
The 2026 FIFA World Cup sparked a major wave of managerial changes, with 17 national team coaches leaving their positions after the tournament, marking the beginning of a new cycle for nearly one-third of the participating nations.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup not only crowned a new champion but also triggered a major shake-up on the sidelines of national teams. Following the departure of Rudi Garcia from Belgium, 17 head coaches have now left their positions after the tournament, representing nearly 35% of the managers who started the World Cup.
The reasons have varied, ranging from disappointing early exits and results below expectations to pre-planned departures and mutual agreements between coaches and their respective football federations to begin new cycles ahead of future international competitions.
Coaches Who Left Their Positions
Eliminated in the Group Stage
- Sabri Lamouchi (Tunisia)
- Hervé Renard (Saudi Arabia)
- Steve Clarke (Scotland)
- Hong Myung-bo (South Korea)
- Miroslav Koubek (Czech Republic)
Eliminated in the Round of 32
- Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay)
- Ronald Koeman (Netherlands)
- Sebastián Beccacece (Ecuador)
Eliminated in the Round of 16
- Carlos Queiroz (Oman)
- Roberto Martínez (Portugal)
- Julian Nagelsmann (Germany)
Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
- Javier Aguirre (Mexico)
- Zlatko Dalić (Croatia)
Eliminated in the Semifinals
- Didier Deschamps (France)
- Pape Thiaw (Senegal)
After the Tournament
- Rudi Garcia (Belgium)
- Thomas Tuchel (England)
With these departures, nearly one out of every three head coaches who began the 2026 FIFA World Cup is no longer in charge of their national team. The trend once again highlights the World Cup as the ultimate test for international managers, where success or failure often determines the beginning—or the end—of a coaching cycle.
More coaching changes are expected in the coming weeks as several football federations continue to evaluate their teams' performances and prepare for the next international cycle, including World Cup qualifiers and continental championships.
