Chaabani set for Tunisia job after World Cup axe as RS Berkane clear path

Moroccan club RS Berkane have effectively cleared the way for coach Moine Chaabani to take charge of Tunisia, after confirming he has received a formal offer to lead the Carthage Eagles in the wake of their disastrous 2026 World Cup campaign.

The Botola Pro side announced on Friday morning that the Tunisian coach had been officially approached by the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) to become national team head coach – a move that would mark his return home for what is being billed as one of the biggest challenges of his managerial career.

The approach follows the sacking of head coach Sabri Lamouchi during the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, after a poor run of results that cut short Tunisia’s tournament and triggered another overhaul in the national dugout.

Tunisia turn to Chaabani after Renard talks collapse

According to reports in Tunisia, the FTF is now poised to appoint Chaabani as head coach of the Carthage Eagles in the coming hours, after negotiations with Frenchman Herve Renard broke down.

If confirmed, the appointment would see Tunisia revert to a home-grown coach after back‐to‐back foreign-led experiments with Lamouchi and Renard during the 2026 World Cup cycle.

Chaabani, who built his reputation with Esperance de Tunis and RS Berkane, is seen by many in Tunisian football as the leading candidate to restore the team’s competitiveness at continental and global level.

RS Berkane confirm approach and signal openness

In a detailed statement, RS Berkane publicly acknowledged the official request from Tunis, addressing both their supporters and the wider football community.

“يعلن نادي نهضة بركان لجماهيره الوفية وللراي العام الرياضي ان مدرب الفريق، السيد معين الشعباني، تلقى طلبا رسميا من الجامعة التونسية لكرة القدم من اجل تولي مهمة الاشراف على العارضة التقنية للمنتخب الوطني التونسي.”

The club underlined that Chaabani remains under contract with them until 30 June 2027 and revealed this is the third time the FTF has made contact over the national team role.

However, Berkane made clear they understand the coach’s wish to answer his country’s call. The statement continued that, “امام ما تمثله مهمة قيادة المنتخب الوطني من قيمة خاصة، وما يحمله نداء الوطن وخدمة منتخب البلاد من دلالات وطنية، ابدى نادي نهضة بركان تفهمه لهذا الطلب، تقديرا لهذه المهمة، وفي اطار علاقات الاخوة والاحترام والتعاون الرياضي التي تجمع المملكة المغربية والجمهورية التونسية، وكذا الروابط المتميزة بين موسسات كرة القدم في البلدين.”

The wording strongly suggests the Moroccan club are ready to facilitate his departure, framing it as an act of respect towards both the Tunisian national team and the close sporting ties between Morocco and Tunisia.

‘Professionalism and commitment’ during Berkane spell

RS Berkane used the statement to pay tribute to Chaabani’s impact over his two-and-a-half years in charge, highlighting both his professionalism and his results.

“خلال سنتين ونصف قضاهما على راس العارضة التقنية للفريق، ابان السيد معين الشعباني عن احترافية كبيرة والتزام دايم واحترام عميق للنادي ومسيريه ولاعبيه وجماهيره، واسهم بعمله ومجهوداته في تحقيق محطات بارزة وكتابة صفحة مميزة من تاريخ نهضة بركان.”

The club thanked the 43-year-old coach for his work and wished him success in his next role, while stressing that preparations are already under way for the next phase of their own sporting project.

The statement ended with a call for fans to rely only on official club channels for updates, promising to keep them informed of all developments.

African pedigree behind Tunisia move

Chaabani’s candidacy is underpinned by a formidable track record in African competitions.

He led Esperance de Tunis to back‐to‐back CAF Champions League titles in 2018 and 2019, cementing his status as one of the continent’s brightest coaching talents.

At RS Berkane, he added further silverware by steering the club to a domestic and continental double in the 2024‐25 season, winning both the Moroccan league title and the CAF Confederation Cup.

Those achievements have made him one of the standout names to take over Tunisia at a time when the Carthage Eagles are seeking to “استعادة بريق نسور قرطاج على المستويين القاري والدولي” – to rekindle their shine in African and world football after a deeply disappointing World Cup.