Tunisia have decided to shift their attention fully to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after a disappointing Arab Cup run, with head coach Sami Trabelsi making it clear that the team seen in Qatar was not anywhere close to the group that will represent the country in Morocco.

Trabelsi felt the Arab Cup campaign was heavily affected by missing key players. He explained that a lot of Tunisia’s top footballers remained with their clubs, and he believed that this lack of availability made it difficult for the Carthage Eagles to compete at their true level.

The coach viewed the Arab Cup as more of a chance to test squad depth rather than a measure of Tunisia’s true strength. He told reporters that things would look different once the main stars join camp for AFCON preparations.

With AFCON starting on 21 December 2025, Trabelsi said the work now begins for real. Tunisia are in a tough Group C, which includes Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania, and he believes the team must be sharp, organised, and mentally ready for every match.

Trabelsi is confident that once the full squad, including Europe-based players, arrives, Tunisia will have the quality and experience needed to challenge for a strong AFCON run. He noted that the team still has areas to fix, especially defensive transitions and attacking sharpness, but believes those issues can be corrected before the tournament begins.

He also reminded fans that Tunisia have always prided themselves on strong tactical discipline, and he expects the final squad to arrive in Morocco fully prepared.

Trabelsi ended by saying the team will be ready when the full group comes together and that confidence remains high heading into the biggest tournament on the continent.