Nantes crisis: Ahmed Kantari set to be sacked as relegation fears mount

Ligue 1 side FC Nantes are reportedly set to sack head coach Ahmed Kantari following a disastrous three-month spell that has left the club staring down the barrel of relegation.

While no official statement has been released by the “Canaries,” multiple reports in France, including from L’Equipe, suggest the Moroccan tactician’s time at the Stade de la Beaujoire is up. The move follows a demoralising 1-0 defeat to Angers over the weekend, a result that has left Nantes languishing in 17th place.

A Short-Lived Tenure for Ahmed Kantari

The Moroccan coach, Ahmed Kantari, took the reins in mid-December 2025, replacing Luis Castro, but he has failed to spark the “new manager bounce” the board envisioned. Under his guidance, Nantes managed just three wins in all competitions.

A dismal run of eight losses in Ligue 1 has seen the club fall seven points adrift of safety. With the 2025/26 season fast approaching its conclusion, the board appears ready to wield the axe in a desperate bid to preserve their top-flight status.

The defeat against Angers on March 7 is understood to be the final straw for the Nantes hierarchy. Though the club has yet to formally confirm his departure, internal discussions are reportedly centred on his immediate exit.

Nantes are already believed to have a replacement lined up in the form of veteran manager Vahid Halilhodzic. The Bosnian, who coached the club between 2018 and 2019 and starred for them as a player in the 1980s, is seen as the ideal “firefighter” to lead a late survival charge.

The former Algeria and Morocco national team boss would bring a wealth of experience and a disciplined approach to a side that has looked tactically lost in recent weeks.