New dispute between Club Africain and Chaabani over league match date

The dispute between Club Africain and Tunisia national team coach, Moin Chabani, has resurfaced just days before the training camp for the Carthage Eagles ahead of the international break in November, in preparation for the resumption of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification for 2027.

Tension between the two parties dates back to the appointment of Jalel Kadri as head coach of the Tunisian national team last August, succeeding Hervé Renard, who led the team during the FIFA World Cup 2026, following the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi after the loss to Sweden by a score of 5-1 in the opening round.

The first training camp for the coach saw a wave of criticism from Club Africain fans and the media due to the exclusion of team captain Ghith Zaâlouni. Supporters of the club believed that his omission was not for technical reasons, accusing the former coach of Espérance de Tunis of ignoring the player, despite his crucial role in securing the league title for his team during the match against Club Africain and Espérance de Tunis last May.

After it was believed that the disagreements had ended with the conclusion of the September camp, the crisis returned to the forefront on Saturday, following coach Faouzi Benzarti's refusal to postpone Club Africain's match against Takaddoum Sghira, in the seventh round of the first half of the Tunisian league.

The Professional Football League has announced the dates for the last three matches of the round, before the competition pauses to allow the Tunisian national team to play two matches against Libya, as part of the third and fourth rounds of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification, in Group 8.

The national team camp will start on November 8 in preparation for the two matches, one day after the three matches, in which Club Africain will participate in one.

In contrast, Club Africain's management has requested the league to postpone their match against Takaddoum Saqiyat al-Da'ir by 24 hours, moving it to Sunday, November 8 instead of Saturday. They justified their request due to the pressure of matches, having played three games in ten days, and their need for additional rest for their players.

The league has rejected the request and decided to keep the match date on Saturday, November 7, in line with the national team's coach's desire to start the players' gathering on Sunday, November 8. This decision has angered officials at Club Africain, amid expectations of renewed conflict between the two parties in the coming period.

Club Africain is preparing to play a postponed match from the third round against Stade Tunisien on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, before facing US Monastir at the Mahiri Stadium in Sfax on Saturday, November 7.

Two more matches are taking place today, with Espérance facing US Monastir, while Etoile Sportive du Sahel meets CS Sfaxien.