Ali Abdi has become the centre of a growing dispute between the Tunisian national team and his French club OGC Nice after joining Tunisia’s World Cup training camp despite the club’s desire to keep him for crucial relegation playoff matches.
The disagreement has emerged during preparations for the 2026 World Cup, with Tunisia assembling its squad ahead of upcoming friendly matches against Austria and Belgium.
According to reports from RMC Sport, Nice considered Abdi’s departure to have taken place without official authorisation. The club is reportedly considering possible internal disciplinary measures because of the importance of the playoff fixtures in its battle to remain in the French top flight.
The French side had hoped to retain the Tunisian international for two decisive matches against AS Saint-Étienne, with the tie representing a critical moment in the club’s season.
At the heart of the disagreement is the interpretation of FIFA regulations governing the international release of players before the World Cup.
Nice believes the Tunisian Football Federation did not meet the required deadlines for sending official call-up documents to the club. Under FIFA rules relating to the tournament, final player lists and official summons are required to be sent at least 15 days before 25 May 2026, meaning clubs should have received them no later than 10 May.
On that basis, Nice argued it had the legal right to keep its international players until the completion of the playoff campaign, leading club officials to regard Abdi’s departure as outside the appropriate procedures.
However, FIFA’s wider regulations surrounding the World Cup preparation period appear to support the Tunisian position.
According to FIFA’s official circular outlining player release and rest periods ahead of the tournament, the mandatory release period for players officially began on 25 May 2026. The same regulations also imposed a compulsory rest period running from 25 to 31 May, during which clubs are prohibited from organising friendly or preparatory matches.
Crucially, the FIFA document also states that any official club matches taking place after 24 May require approval from the relevant national federation. That clause strengthens the legal argument of both Tunisia and the player, given that Abdi joined the national team during the official FIFA release window.
Despite the legal dispute, reports suggest the defender attempted to support Nice for as long as possible before travelling to join the Tunisian squad.
Sources speaking to the WinWin platform said Abdi delayed his departure on two separate occasions in order to remain available for his club. He also featured in the first leg against Saint-Étienne, which ended in a 0-0 draw after he entered the match as a substitute at the beginning of the second half.
The same sources indicated that the player remains “calm and reassured” despite the threat of disciplinary action, believing that FIFA’s regulations clearly support his position.
The situation mirrors a similar dispute involving Hicham Boudaoui, another Nice player who was also involved in a disagreement linked to international duty.
French newspaper L’Équipe reported that Nice attempted to apply the same interpretation of FIFA deadlines in Boudaoui’s case, arguing that the Algerian Football Federation had not respected the required timeframe for official call-ups.
However, according to WinWin sources, the Algerian federation responded by citing FIFA guidance stating that the club season effectively ends on 24 May 2026 for players participating in the World Cup, with any club appearances beyond that date requiring federation approval.
Meanwhile, Tunisia continues preparations for its seventh World Cup appearance. The Carthage Eagles are scheduled to face Austria in Vienna on 1 June before taking on Belgium in Brussels five days later.
Tunisia has been drawn into a difficult group alongside Sweden, Japan and Netherlands in what is widely viewed as one of the toughest groups of the tournament.
