Al-Chaabani shakes up Tunisia's squad: return of Sassi and Maaloul, absences raise questions
Wholesale changes
Moine Chaabani, the head coach of Tunisia, has announced the squad of the Eagles of Carthage for the first two rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Uganda on 24 September and Botswana on 28 September, in a list that saw the return of Ferjani Sassi and Ali Maaloul to the ranks of the Tunisian national team.
According to the list published by the Tunisian Football Federation, Chaabani has brought Sassi back after his absence from the 2026 World Cup, despite the midfielder having worn the captain's armband during the Africa Cup of Nations and the Arab Cup. Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane and Aissa Laidouni also return, meaning three players active in the Qatari league come back into the fold.
Maaloul makes his own comeback after missing out on the World Cup. Ali Abdi, the Nice defender, misses the cut despite apologising for recent remarks that sparked controversy in Tunisia, when he expressed his readiness to skip the World Cup to help his club avoid relegation in the play-offs.
Compared with the World Cup squad, Hannibal Mejbri is absent through injury. Rani Khedira and Elyes Skhiri have both retired from international football. Firas Chaouat, Dylan Bronn, Omar Rekik, Mohamed Haj Mahmoud, Mortadha Ben Ouanes and Elias Saad all drop out too.
Only 14 players from the recent World Cup make the list. Chaabani has handed maiden call-ups to Club Africain striker Mohamed Sadok Guidida and Dijon's Sami Chouchane.
Familiar faces are back, then, and the changes run deep compared with the World Cup squad.
The full list is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen, Sabri Ben Hassen, Mouhib Chamekh.
Defence: Yann Valery, Moatez Neffati, Adam Arous, Mohamed Nasraoui, Montassar Talbi, Alaa Ghram, Mohamed Amine Ben Hmida, Amine Charni, Ali Maaloul.
Midfield: Ferjani Sassi, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, Aissa Laidouni, Hamza Rafia, Sami Chouchane, Ismail Gharbi, Anis Ben Slimane.
Attack: Khalil Ayari, Seifallah Ltaief, Elyes Achouri, Rayan Layouni, Sebastien Tounekti, Hamza Mastouri, Sadok Guidida.
