Tunisia’s difficult run in major international tournaments continued after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Japan on Sunday morning, confirming their elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the group stage.
The North African side had already suffered a 5-1 loss to Sweden in their opening match, and the latest defeat to Japan sealed their fate in Group F, making Tunisia one of the early exits from the tournament alongside Haiti and Turkey.
Japan controlled the match from the outset, with Daichi Kamada opening the scoring just four minutes into the game.
Ayase Ueda added a second in the 31st minute, giving the Asian side a comfortable lead before halftime.
In the second half, Japan maintained their dominance, scoring twice more through Junya Ito and Ueda, who completed his brace in the 83rd minute.
The result highlighted Tunisia’s defensive vulnerabilities and lack of response against high-intensity opposition.
The elimination adds to a growing pattern of disappointing performances for Tunisia in major competitions since 2021.
The team has struggled across multiple tournaments, including early exits at the Africa Cup of Nations, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the Arab Cup, reflecting a period of inconsistency at international level.
Despite changes in coaching, including the short-term appointment of French manager Hervé Renard, Tunisia were unable to reverse their fortunes in the tournament.
Their back-to-back heavy defeats confirmed their status as the first Arab team eliminated from the 2026 World Cup.
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