The wait is over. Coach Sabri Lamouchi has named his 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Tunisia is ready to write a new chapter in its footballing history. Announced this Friday evening, the list combines the experience of battle-hardened veterans with the electric energy of a new generation — all united behind one mission: to finally, for the first time ever, reach the knockout stage of a World Cup.
Here is the full squad. Here is the story behind it.
The Full Squad
- Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen, Abdelmohib Chamekh, Sabri Ben Hassan
- Defenders: Montassar Talbi, Dylan Bronn, Adam Arous, Omar Rekik, Raed Sheikhaoui, Yan Valery, Moataz Nafati, Ali Abdi, Mohamed Amin Ben Hamida
- Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri, Hannibal Mejbri, Anis Ben Slimane, Rani Khedira, Mohamed Haj Mahmoud, Ismail Gharbi, Mortadha Ben Ouanes
- Forwards: Elyes Achouri, Elyes Saad, Sebastian Tounekti, Firas Chaouat, Khalil Ayari, Hazem Mestouri, Rayan Loumi
The Captain: Ellyes Skhiri
If there is one name that anchors this squad, it is Ellyes Skhiri. The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder wears the captain’s armband and, more than any other player, embodies what Tunisia wants to be on the world stage — composed, combative, and technically sound. His ball recovery, tactical intelligence, and ability to spray passes across the pitch make him the engine of Lamouchi’s system. When Tunisia needs calm under pressure, it looks to Skhiri.
The Star in Form: Hannibal Mejbri
If Skhiri is the heart, Hannibal Mejbri is the spark. The Burnley midfielder, now a Premier League regular, heads into his second consecutive World Cup with a point to prove. Still only in his early twenties, Hannibal has matured enormously since Qatar 2022, and arrives in North America with the confidence of a player who has fought for and earned his place at the top level of European football. He is the name that will excite the neutrals and terrify opposing midfielders in equal measure.
The Interesting Story: Rani Khedira
Tucked into the midfield list is a name that carries an extraordinary subplot. Rani Khedira — younger brother of Germany’s 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira — will represent Tunisia at the 2026 World Cup, joining the Boateng brothers as siblings who have played in World Cups for different nations. It is a story of identity, dual heritage, and footballing destiny that writes itself.
The Young Guns
Lamouchi has not been afraid to back youth. Twenty-one-year-old Khalil Ayari made the cut, earning his place on the biggest stage. Celtic’s Sebastian Tounekti — a player building a growing reputation in Scottish football — is also in. Rayan Loumi and Ismael Garbi represent the hunger and ambition of a generation that grew up watching Tunisia come agonizingly close and now wants to be the one to finally break through. These are not names included for the future — they are here to play a role now.
The Big Shocks: Ben Romdhane and Jaziri Left Out
No squad announcement comes without controversy, and this one has delivered not one but two of the most debated omissions in recent Tunisian football history. Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane — the man who scored the 94th-minute winner against Equatorial Guinea that officially sealed Tunisia’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup — has not been selected. He finished as Tunisia’s top scorer during the qualifying campaign with four goals. Equally surprising is the absence of Seifeddine Jaziri, Zamalek’s striker and a familiar face in the national setup. Both omissions will be felt and questioned. Lamouchi will need to answer for them on the pitch.
The Road to the World Cup
Before the Eagles fly to North America, they have two warm-up friendlies to sharpen the squad. Tunisia face Austria on June 1 in Vienna, then Belgium on June 6 in Brussels — two serious European tests that will give Lamouchi a final read on his selections before the real thing begins.
The Group F Challenge
Tunisia have been drawn in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden. It is a tough but not impossible group — and crucially, it is one where Tunisia can dare to dream.
The schedule is as follows:
- June 14 — Tunisia vs Sweden (Guadalajara, Mexico)
- June 20 — Tunisia vs Japan (Guadalajara, Mexico)
- June 25 — Tunisia vs Netherlands (Kansas City, USA)
Sweden are beatable. Japan, with their disciplined defensive structure, will be a different kind of test. And the Netherlands — 2010 World Cup finalists — represent the peak of the group’s ambition. But this is a Tunisia squad that held France to a 1–0 win in Qatar and has proven it can compete with the best. Under the expanded 48-team format, two group winners and the eight best third-placed teams advance — meaning even a strong third-place finish could see the Eagles progress.
The Historic Mission
This is Tunisia’s seventh World Cup. In six previous appearances — 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, and 2022 — the Eagles of Carthage have never once advanced beyond the group stage. That is not a statistic, it is a wound. Every generation of Tunisian footballers has carried it, and every generation has left it unhealed.
Sabri Lamouchi arrived in March 2026 with a clear mandate: change that. His squad selection reflects a man who knows what is needed — experienced players who can control games, energetic youth who can change them, and a captain who can hold everything together when the pressure becomes unbearable.
The World Cup begins next month. Tunisia is ready. The question North America will answer is whether this is finally the team that goes one step further.
Group F: Netherlands 🇳🇱 | Japan 🇯🇵 | Sweden 🇸🇪 | Tunisia 🇹🇳
Sources: FTF (Tunisian Football Federation), beIN Sports, Heavy.com, GhanaSoccernet, YS Scores
