The team played its first match on 30 March 2008 against Libya at the 2009 African Nations Championship qualification and ended in a 1–1 draw.

Tunisia won the African Nations Championship in 2011 from the first appearance by beating Angola in the final 3–0, which was held in Sudan.

[3] On 23 May, the two teams drew 1–1 in Sousse and again on 5 May 2–2, in a thrilling match in Casablanca that saw Tunisia qualify for the finals for the first time on away goals rule.

[5] Four days later, the team achieved its first victory against Rwanda 3–1 with goals from Oussama Darragi, Salema Kasdaoui and Zouheir Dhaouadi.

The regular and extra time ended in a 1–1 draw, with Tunisia winning on penalties 5–3,[14] with Rami Jridi stopping Hocine Metref's kick with his fist.

Tunisia nearly scored in the 13th minutes but the Palancas Negras man between the woodworks Lamá made a point blank save.

Tunisia’s onslaughts began paying off from the 74th minute when Zouhaier doubled their lead with a left foot roll of the ball that went past Lamá straight into the woodwork.

As the game wore on substitute Darragi put the final nail on the coffin in the 80th minutes to give the north Africans the ultimate.

[20] In July 2013, placed under the direction of Nabil Maâloul, the team entered the 2014 African Nations Championship qualification, facing Morocco home and away.

[24] In 2015, the team entered the 2016 African Nations Championship qualification, through the North Zone group alongside Libya and Morocco under the direction of Henryk Kasperczak.

[38] In September 2019, under Mondher Kebaier, the team entered the qualifiers for the 2020 edition, where they won home and away against Libya 1–0 in Radès and 2–1 in Salé due to the Libyan Civil War.

[39][40] However, on 20 December 2019, the Tunisian Football Federation withdrew from the tournament due to the intensity of the matches after the teams agreed.

[41] This led to the imposition of sanctions by the Confederation of African Football, fining the Tunisian Federation $50,000, in addition to banning the national team from participating in the next edition in Algeria.