GUADALUPE, Mexico — Tunisia have been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a comprehensive 4-0 defeat to Japan in their second Group F match, ending their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
The North African side’s exit comes just a day after Turkey were also knocked out of the tournament following a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay. While Turkey departed without scoring a single goal despite creating numerous chances, Tunisia’s campaign has been marked by defensive struggles, conceding nine goals across their opening two matches.
Japan produced a dominant display in what was the 1,000th match in World Cup history. Daichi Kamada opened the scoring in the fourth minute before Ayase Ueda doubled the advantage midway through the first half. Junya Ito added a third after the break, while Ueda completed his brace late in the game to seal an emphatic victory.
Tunisia entered the match under new coach Hervé Renard, who was appointed following the team’s heavy 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening fixture. However, the managerial change failed to spark a turnaround as Japan controlled proceedings and exposed many of the same weaknesses that plagued Tunisia in their first outing.
The result leaves Tunisia rooted at the bottom of Group F with no points from two matches and no mathematical route to the knockout rounds. They are scheduled to face the Netherlands in their final group-stage game, but the fixture will now serve only as an opportunity to restore pride before heading home.
Japan, meanwhile, moved level on points and goal difference with the Netherlands at the top of the group. The Asian side have impressed with their intensity, organisation and clinical finishing, strengthening their position as one of the tournament’s surprise contenders.
For Tunisia, however, the World Cup has ended in disappointment. Two defeats, nine goals conceded and no sign of recovery have brought an abrupt conclusion to their campaign, making them one of the earliest teams to be eliminated from the competition.
