Tunisia are one of Africa's most reliable tournament teams. They have qualified for the World Cup repeatedly, won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2004 and created one of the biggest shocks of the 2022 tournament by beating France. But the Eagles of Carthage have not won AFCON again since that home triumph. Their trophy drought is a story of consistency without a second continental peak.
World Cup 2026 status
Tunisia qualified for and played at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, adding another global appearance to the country's long tournament history.
| 2026 status | Qualification route | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified and participated | CAF qualifying | Group stage |
Tunisia beat Mexico to become the first African team to win a World Cup match
Tunisia beat Morocco 2-1 to win AFCON on home soil
Tunisia returned to the World Cup in Germany
Tunisia won a World Cup match against Panama
Tunisia beat France 1-0 at the World Cup
Tunisia's seventh World Cup appearance ended in the group stage
Still waiting for a second AFCON title
A regular qualifier waiting for another final
Tunisia's only AFCON title came in 2004, when the team won on home soil. Since then, the Eagles of Carthage have remained a familiar presence at the tournament and the World Cup, but the final stages have been difficult to reach.
The national team is often organised, disciplined and hard to defeat. The challenge is turning that reliability into the attacking quality needed to win three or four knockout matches in one tournament.
2004: Tunisia wins its only AFCON
Tunisia hosted and won the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations. The Eagles of Carthage beat Morocco 2-1 in the final, with Francileudo Santos and Ziad Jaziri scoring the goals in front of a home crowd.
The victory was the perfect combination of organisation and opportunity. Tunisia had lost the 1965 and 1996 finals, but in 2004 the hosts handled the pressure and lifted the trophy that had escaped them for decades.
Tunisia's tournament profile
World Cup regulars without a knockout round
Tunisia have qualified for the World Cup seven times and became the first African team to win a match at the tournament when they beat Mexico in 1978. They have never advanced from a World Cup group. In the expanded 2026 format, the first knockout hurdle was the round of 32, not the round of 16.
The team has often been competitive in the group stage, but one narrow defeat or missing goal has ended the campaign. For Tunisia, the global breakthrough is not qualification; it is surviving the final group match and reaching the knockout bracket.
2022: beating the world champions
Tunisia produced one of the most memorable results of the 2022 World Cup by beating France 1-0. Wahbi Khazri scored the winner after a determined attacking move, and the Tunisian defence held on against the reigning world champions.
The result was not enough to take Tunisia into the round of 16, but it confirmed the team's ability to match elite opponents for one night. The next task is making that level of performance part of a complete tournament run.
From Khazri and Msakni to the next Eagles
Wahbi Khazri and Youssef Msakni became symbols of Tunisia's modern team. They combined technical ability with the intensity required to compete against stronger nations, but the squad often lacked enough depth to maintain the same level across a full tournament.
The next generation must preserve Tunisia's defensive discipline while adding more finishing power. Winning another AFCON requires a team that can turn close matches into victories instead of relying on one exceptional result.
2026: a seventh appearance, then another reset
Tunisia played at their seventh World Cup in 2026 but again exited at the group stage, losing all three games. Qualification extended the country's tournament history; it did not produce a first knockout appearance.
The focus has moved to AFCON 2027 qualifying under Mouine Chaabani. Tunisia drew 1-1 with Uganda and 2-2 with Botswana in the opening two matches. Tunisia Now follows the current squad, results and next match, while this story records the longer wait for another major title.
Tunisia's major tournament record at a glance
| Record | Result | Context |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup best finish | Group stage | Most recent appearance: 2026 |
| AFCON best finish | Winner | 2004, on home soil |
| AFCON titles | 1 | 2004 |
| Latest major trophy | AFCON 2004 | Live wait on the country profile |
What would end Tunisia's trophy drought?
Tunisia need a second AFCON title, but the path begins with reaching the final rounds consistently. The team has enough defensive organisation to frustrate strong opponents; it needs more attacking options to decide tight knockout matches.
A World Cup round-of-16 appearance would be another major breakthrough. Tunisia have already beaten a world champion, and the next generation can use that belief to stop treating the group stage as the end of the story.
The Eagles of Carthage know how to create a shock. The next trophy requires turning the shock into a tournament habit.
The road from Tunisia's home triumph to the next title
Frequently asked questions
How many AFCON titles has Tunisia won?
Tunisia have won one Africa Cup of Nations title, in 2004.
When did Tunisia last win a major trophy?
Tunisia last won AFCON in 2004, beating Morocco 2-1 in the final on home soil.
What is Tunisia's best World Cup result?
Tunisia have not yet reached the World Cup knockout stage. Their best tournament results include wins in the group stage.
What happened when Tunisia played France in 2022?
Tunisia beat France 1-0 through a goal from Wahbi Khazri, although the result did not take them out of the group.
Can Tunisia win another AFCON?
Yes. Tunisia have a reliable tournament tradition, but they need more attacking depth and consistency to turn close matches into a title run.
Data sources & verification for Tunisia
Trophy dates are checked against official competition information and the relevant football confederation.
See Tunisia's full trophy history, live counter, World Cup record and major-tournament profile.
View Tunisia's country profile →Supporting records: Supporting record 1 · Supporting record 2.