football managers to be sacked

List of Football Managers To Be Sacked Most Likely in 2026

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Modified - Oct 22, 2026, 03:41 PM

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List of Football Managers To Be Sacked Most Likely in 2026

Summary

The early matchdays of 2026/27 have already seen several major clubs part ways with their managers, highlighting a growing sense of instability across Europe’s top leagues.
Relegation battles at Villarreal and Coventry City have increased pressure on Íñigo Pérez and Frank Lampard, with results failing to meet expectations.
Big-name clubs are also feeling the heat, as inconsistent performances have left Michael Carrick and Roberto De Zerbi under increasing scrutiny.
Despite his recent success, Pierre Sage’s intense demands and reported dressing-room tensions could yet put his future in doubt.

2026 has already seen several marquee clubs part ways with their managers. From Xabi Alonso’s recent exit to Ruben Amorim’s departure, several high-profile clubs have already sacked their managers early in the year. Considering quite a few big names have already been sacked before the end of January, we have made a list of all the potential football managers to be sacked this year.

Next Football Manager to be Sacked in 2026

With Enzo Maresca resigning as Chelsea head coach and Celtic parting ways with Nancy, the question now is: who is the next football manager to be sacked? Considering the biggest football clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea, and more are sacking managers one after another. As of now, there are several managers whose role at the touchline does not look secure following poor results and negative media headlines. But here are the likely football managers to be sacked in 2026:

Manager Name	Club	League	Current Situation
Íñigo Pérez	Villarreal	La Liga	The club's poor form leading to a relegation fight, failure to inspire players
Pierre Sage	Crystal Palace	Premier League	Inconsistent form, poor start to the season, dressing room tensions
Michael Carrick	Manchester United	Premier League	Poor results, Failure to step up when stakes are high
Frank Lampard	Coventry City	Premier League	Poor form of the team, not being able to compete with the big guns
Roberto De Zerbi	Tottenham Hotspur	Premier League	Poor results, squad tension

Next Football Manager to be Sacked in 2026

Who are the Next Football Manager to be Sacked in 2026?

With the second half of the season approaching, several teams find themselves in an uncertain position. Led by Carlos Corberan, Valencia currently find themselves 18th in the La Liga table following a poor run of form. The same can be said for West Ham United, who are battling relegation after Nuno Espírito Santo failed to turn the club’s fortunes around following his arrival.

Íñigo Pérez | Villarreal | 4-4-2

Iñigo Pérez — Íñigo Pérez (Image Credits: Official X@/DavidMolinerC)

Since the beginning of the 2026-27 season, everything has gone downhill for Villarreal in La Liga. Íñigo Pérez ’s arrival from Rayo Vallecano raised eyebrows, given his style of play and the squad the Spanish club had. As a result of inconsistent performances, El Submarino Amarillo now find themselves in the middle of the La Liga table just two points above the relegation zone.

While Pérez's 4-4-2 formation and his style of play are not the direct reason for Villarreal's poor form in the league, his failure to adapt to the squad at hand is one of the biggest reasons why we might see him as the next football manager to be sacked in 2026.

Pierre Sage | Crystal Palace | 3-4-2-1

After doing a commendable job with RC Lens last season, where they finished second behind PSG in Ligue 1, along with lifting the Coupe de France trophy, Pierre Sage made the switch to one of the best leagues in the world currently, the Premier League, to test his waters against some of the biggest teams and names in the world.

He replaced Oliver Glasner as the new manager of Crystal Palace, and it was already a tough task given the fact that Glasner's work with the Eagles was something to be inspired by. From breaking the trophy drought to eye-catching football, Sage had a lot on his shoulders to replicate. However, Palace sit 14th in the league currently, with four defeats from the first sevn games already. With an all-important UEFA Europa League game coming up next, Pierre Sage needs to rectify his team's shortcomings if he wants to remain long-term.

Michael Carrick | Manchester United | 4-2-3-1

When Manchester United parted ways with Ruben Amorim and appointed Michael Carrick, many fans questioned the decision. However, a good run in the Premier League saw them finish third and secure Champions League football after three years. As a result, Carrick was rewarded by making him the permanent manager for the new season. A half-baked transfer window with some quality and some backup players, people were hopeful of a better stint, but the start to the 2026/27 season hasn't been something that even Michael Carrick would have wanted.

Losing to newly promoted side Hull City, and then dropping points against Everton and a 10-man Manchester City in the derby has only made things more complicated. INEOS have kept faith with the Englishman, but are exploring opportunities in the form of Antonio Conte, who's without a club currently. United's recent loss to Como in the UEFA Champions League has made things even more complicated, with captain Bruno Fernandes openly questioning the tactics deployed by Carrick and his staff. If results continue to go from bad to worse despite playing eye-catching football, Carrick might get the axe, which makes him one of the Football Managers to be sacked in 2026.

Frank Lampard | Coventry City | 3-4-2-1

The former English midfielder's return to managerial duties in the Premier League hasn't gone according to plan, as newcomers Coventry City sit 17th in the league standings with five losses out of the first seven games played, conceding 14 in the meantime.

Coventry's return to the top flight after a wait of 34 years was celebrated in a fashion which saw Frank Lampard making a statement after his previous unsuccessful stints in the league. However, the hopes seem to be fading now, considering how things have gone for the newly promoted side. Keeping up in the top division is even harder than achieving promotion in the first place, something Lampard knows quite well. He may get some more time as it is quite early in the season, but if things don't improve down the line, he could be the next football manager to be sacked.

Roberto De Zerbi | Tottenham Hotspur | 4-2-3-1

Tottenham Hotspur have always had a poor history with managers, but the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi raised hopes of a new era, with a bright project in place. On top of that, several big-money signings like Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Savinho, Omar Marmoush, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Andy Robertson laid the perfect foundation for building something new, something better from scratch once again.

However, Spurs' pre-season has failed to reflect in the new season so far, as they were one of the five teams in the Premier League to have not won a single match in their first six games. Three draws and three losses, with problems regarding tactical cohesion and dressing room tensions with Richarlison, have only made things more complicated for Roberto De Zerbi. The recent defeat to Liverpool in just the third round of the EFL Carabao Cup has made things even more complicated for the Italian. If he doesn't deliver in time and Spurs continue to remain around the relegation zone, he will likely get the axe, which could be as early as the January transfer window. Therefore, he is at the top of our list of football managers to be sacked.