Flames’ FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers opponents Tunisia also fired coach for poor performance

Interim coach Kais Yaacoubi

* The next Matchday of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers are scheduled to resume in Match 2025

* Tunisia top Group H with 10 points, two ahead of Namibia (8) on second place; three ahead of 3rd-placed Liberia (7)

* And 4 ahead of 4th-placed Malawi (6) with Equatorial Guinea on 5th (3 points) and São Tomé e Principe 6th without a point

By Duncan Mlanjira

Following their shock home defeat by tiny Comoros Islands in their Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) Morocco 2025 qualifier last month, Tunisia fired coach Faouzi Benzarti three months after being appointed.

He was replaced by Kais Yaacoubi as the interim coach to steer the North African side, who currently top Group A of the AfCON 2025 qualifier ahead of their match against Madagascar in Pretoria on Thursday, November 14 before hosting Gambia four days later in Tunis, with qualification for the Morocco hanging in the balance.

Tunisia also top Group H of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers with 10 points, two ahead of Namibia (8) on second place; three ahead of 3rd-placed Liberia (7); four ahead of 4th-placed Malawi (6) with Equatorial Guinea on 5th (3 points) and São Tomé e Principe 6th without a point.

The next Matchday of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers are scheduled to resume in Match 2025 in which the Flames will be up against Namibia followed by an away fixture to Tunisia — before meeting Namibia again away and Liberia at home — both in September.

Then in October, the Flames will host Equatorial Guinea before traveling to confront São Tomé e Principe, whom they beat 3-1 at Bingu National Stadium in June’s Matchday 3 before losing 0-1 in Matchday 4 away to Equatoguineans.

The Flames won 1-0 in their opening campaign away to Liberia, losing 0-1 at home against Tunisia to perch on 4th place in Group H.

Just as FAM did by firing coach Patrick Mabedi following losing all four of the AfCON qualifiers, Tunisia has appointed  Yaacoubi in the interim, who is reported to have made sweeping changes to his squad by axing 10 players including captain Youssef Msakni.

CAFonline reports that Yaacoubi’s is a bold reshape of the squad as the 58-year-old manager has recalled several players in all departments.

CAFonline reports that this is Benzarti’s fourth spell as Tunisia coach and takes charge for the remaining Group A games. Last month, the North Africans took just one point from back-to-back games against the Comoros — losing 0-1 at home and drawing 1-1 away four days later with the Indian Ocean islanders.

The home defeat was Tunisia’s first in a qualifier since Botswana upset them in 2010, also in Cup of Nations qualification.

If they finish in the top two places in Group A, Tunisia will secure a record-extending 17th successive AfCON finals appearance from where they will eye for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualification in Group H alongside Malawi Flames, Namibia, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé e Principe.

Meanwhile, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) replaced fired Mabedi, in the interim, with coach Kalisto Pasuwa alongside Silver Strikers’ Peter Mponda as first assistant and Prichard Mwansa as second assistant to honour the remaining AfCON 2025 qualifiers, which are just ceremonial as Flames are already out of contention.

The remaining games are against Burundi away in Côte d’Ivore on Thursday, November 14, before closing their campaign with a home match against Burkina Faso at Bingu National Stadium on Monday, November 18.

FAM is engaging with Ministry of Sports through the Malawi National Council of Sports to commence immediate recruitment of the team’s permanent coach to steer the team in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers.

Pasuwa and his assistants — whose technical advisors are Kinnah Phiri and Young Chimodzi, who took the Flames to the AfCON Angola 2020 — hit the ground running by recalling South Africa-based striker Gabadinho Mhango (Marumo Gallants), who had been left out by Mabedi citing some reasons which were unjustified.

Also recalled was defender Charles Petro, who plays in Romania — joining other foreign-based players, defenders Dennis Chembezi (Al Qasim SC-Iraq); Charles Petro (FC Botosani-Romania); midfielders John Banda (UD Songo, Mozambique); Chawanangwa Kaonga (Zanaco FC-Zambia); Lanjesi Nkhoma & Patrick Mwaungulu (Don Bosco-DRC) and strikers Richard Mbulu & Lloyd Njaliwa (Costa Do Sol-Mozambique).

The local based players are expected to regroup in Lilongwe before leaving for Côte d’Ivoire while the foreign based players will travel direct to Abidjan from their respective bases.

The domestic league players are:

Goalkeepers: William Thole (Mighty Wanderers), George Chikooka (Silver Strikers) and Richard Chimbamba (Nyasa Big Bullets);

Defenders: McDonald Lameck, Maxwell Paipi & Nickson Mwase (all Silver Strikers), Gomezgani Chirwa, Nickson Nyasulu & Alick Lungu (Nyasa Big Bullets), Timothy Silwimba (Mighty Wanderers);

 Midfielders: Yankho Singo, Lloyd Aaron (Nyasa Big Bullets), Wisdom Mpinganjira (Mighty Wanderers), Zebron Kalima (Silver Strikers);

 Strikers: Gadi Chirwa (Mighty Wanderers), Zeliat Nkhoma (Kamuzu Barracks).

Though just ceremonial matches since Burkina Faso already qualified for the AfCON 2025 alongside Senegal, both Burkina Faso and Burundi will certainly make sure they keep their clean sheet against the Flames having beaten them in both their matches.

Burundi won 3-1 at Bingu National Stadium before Burkina Faso triumphed 3-1 at their home pitch while Senegal won 4-0 at home and 1-0 in Lilongwe in back-to-back — leaving Senegal and Burkina Faso qualifying for the finals in Morocco.

The replacement of coach Mabedi is to try as much as possible to salvage some pride in winning the remaining fixtures as FAM is negotiating for the permanent coach.

The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup finals will have 48 participating countries instead of the conventional 32 giving an advantage for Africa to field more teams and the top team from each of the nine groups after Match Day 10 shall earn an automatic qualification.

The four best second-placed and top ranked teams from all nine groups will engage in a continental playoff, determining a single victor who will then proceed to a second and final playoff. 

This final stage will comprise six teams from various confederations, with the top two emerging as qualified participants, ultimately making up the 48 competing teams.