Tunisia Suffer Heavy Defeat to Sweden in World Cup Opener

A Difficult Start for the Eagles of Carthage

Tunisia began their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a crushing 5-1 defeat against Sweden on Monday in their opening Group F match.

Sweden Take Control Early

Sweden made a strong start, with Yassine Ayari opening the scoring in the seventh minute before Alexander Isak doubled the lead in the 30th minute, capitalizing on Tunisia’s defensive struggles.

Tunisia managed to pull one back just before halftime through Omar Rekik in the 43rd minute, offering a glimmer of hope heading into the break.

Swedish Dominance After the Interval

The second half belonged entirely to Sweden. Viktor Gyökeres added a third goal in the 59th minute, while Mattias Svanberg scored the fourth in the 84th minute after a VAR review confirmed the goal.

Ayari then completed his brace deep into stoppage time, netting Sweden’s fifth goal and sealing an emphatic victory.

Tunisia’s Heaviest-Ever World Cup Defeat

The result marks Tunisia’s heaviest defeat in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing their previous worst loss, a 5-2 defeat against Belgium during the 2018 World Cup group stage.

Crucial Match Against Japan Ahead

Earlier in the group, Japan and the Netherlands played out an entertaining 2-2 draw. Tunisia will now face a must-win encounter against Japan next Sunday, while Sweden is set to take on the Netherlands on Friday.