2026 World Cup: Tunisia vs. Japan, Probable Lineups
Tunisia and Japan face off in a match that marks the second game for both teams in Group F of the 2026 World Cup. It’s a true do-or-die match for both teams, given that the Netherlands’ resounding 5-1 victory over Sweden (which had drawn with Japan in its opener) has tightened the standings. It’s extremely important for both teams to get a result on the field in Monterrey—when it will be 6 a.m. on Sunday morning in Italy—but it’s especially crucial for the North African side. Coming off a 5-1 loss to Sweden—a result that cost head coach Sabri Lamouchi his job—another defeat would mean mathematical elimination from the tournament.
The situation for Tunisia has taken a sudden and dramatic turn for the worse. The heavy opening-match defeat against Sweden had triggered an immediate crisis: according to reports from the Tunisian radio station Mosaique FM, a furious argument had already broken out after the match and continued all the way back to the hotel, with tensions so high that the delegation’s leadership was forced to call an emergency meeting. To further complicate matters, a witness reported an altercation allegedly involving Lamouchi’s son, whose role on the coaching staff was undefined. The official announcement of his dismissal came on Monday evening, with Mondher Kebaier initially named as interim coach.
Japan, on the other hand, comes into this match on the strength of an opening performance that made a strong impression. Against the Netherlands, the Blue Samurai managed to come back from behind twice, responding to Van Dijk’s goal with one from Nakamura and equalizing in the 89th minute with a goal from Kamada after Summerville had scored. A precious point, earned through grit and skill, that keeps the Japanese in contention in the group stage. Fun fact: During that match, head coach Moriyasu caught the world’s attention by repeatedly holding up a whiteboard with numbers corresponding to tactical instructions and precise formations—a sort of secret code that went viral on social media and remained indecipherable to their opponents.
On the other side, the Group F standings speak for themselves after the second matchday. The Netherlands, fueled by braces from Brobbey and Gakpo in their 5-1 rout of Sweden in Houston, have jumped to 4 points. The Scandinavians remain in second place with 3 points but now have a goal difference significantly lower than that of the Oranje. Japan is third with 1 point, while Tunisia sits at the bottom of the standings with zero points. For the North Africans, hopes of qualifying are now reduced to a nearly theoretical possibility: while the top two spots seem out of reach, only a third-place finish—depending on points and goal difference—could still open the door to the Round of 16.
Probable Lineups
Tunisia (5-3-2): Dahmen; Abdi, Bronn, Talbi, Rekik, Valery; Mejbri, Achouri, Skhiri; Saad, Chaouat. Head Coach: Renard.
Japan (3-4-2-1): Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, Ito; Sugawara, Kamada, Seko, Nakamura; Doan, Maeda; Ueda. Head Coach. Moriyasu.
