Tunisia will host Malawi in a CAF World Cup qualifier on Monday at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Tunis, as they aim to solidify their lead in Group H. Both teams held training sessions on Sunday in preparation for the crucial match.
Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi expressed confidence ahead of the game, stating that his team is prepared to secure a positive result.
“We have an important match at a high level against a strong opponent, even though they did not win their last game,” Trabelsi told reporters Sunday. “We are entering a new phase with the players and the football federation staff, and we hope this will be a period of winning and good results.”
Tunisia currently leads Group H with 13 points from five matches, having won four and drawn one. A victory on Monday would bring them closer to securing a place in the 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Meanwhile, Malawi, who lost 1-0 to Tunisia in their last meeting in November 2023, are determined to turn the tables. Head coach Callisto Pasuwa remains hopeful that his side can pull off a win.
“We played Tunisia at home, and they won 1-0. So anything is possible,” Pasuwa said. “We are here now, and we will play them just as they did to us in Malawi. We can also win here.”
Tunisia holds a two-point lead over second-place Namibia, who will face Equatorial Guinea in Johannesburg on Monday. Liberia, third in the standings with seven points, will take on São Tomé and Príncipe, who have lost all five of their matches.
The winner of Group H will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, while the runner-up could advance to the second round for a chance to compete in the inter-confederation playoffs.
Tunisia, having qualified for the last two World Cups in Russia and Qatar, are seeking their seventh appearance at the tournament. They have won both of their home games in the qualifiers so far and defeated Malawi 1-0 in their previous meeting, with captain Youssef Msakni scoring a late penalty.