After a decade away from the World Cup stage, Algeria will take part in their fifth tournament. The Desert Foxes dominated their African qualifying group and secured qualification without major trouble, sharing Group G with Uganda, Mozambique, Guinea, Botswana, and Somalia. Their only setback came at home, a 1-2 loss to Guinea in Algiers, but that defeat proved a turning point. From then on, Algeria reasserted control and showed their superiority throughout the rest of the campaign. With an effective attack and more experience than their rivals, they finished top of the group and claimed the lone qualifying spot, booking a return to football's biggest stage.
Captain Riyad Mahrez leads the squad and has been named for his second FIFA World Cup appearance. The veteran winger remains one of Algeria's most influential figures and will be expected to provide leadership and creativity as the North Africans look to make a strong impact. One of the standout inclusions is highly rated midfielder Ibrahim Maza, who earns his first-ever World Cup call-up. The young talent's rapid rise has been rewarded with a place in the final squad, marking a significant milestone in his international career.
A notable omission is Ismael Bennacer, who was named player of the tournament when Algeria won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. A reliable midfield metronome, his absence is an unfortunate blow for the team. Other key players left out include Baghdad Bounedjah and Ilan Kebbal.
Algeria has been drawn into Group J alongside Argentina, Austria, and Jordan. The Fennecs begin their 2026 World Cup campaign on June 17 against defending champions Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. On June 22, they face World Cup debutants Jordan at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. They then return to Kansas City for their third and final group stage match against Austria on June 27, again at Arrowhead Stadium.
Algeria 2026 World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Oussama Benbot (USM Alger), Melvin Masstil (Stade Nyonnaise), Luca Zidane (Granada)
Defenders: Achraf Abada (USM Alger), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City), Zinedine Belaid (JS Kabylie), Rafik Belghali (Verona), Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund), Samir Chergui (Paris FC), Jaouen Hadjam (Young Boys Bern), Aissa Mandi (Lille), Mohamed Amine Tougai (Esperance)
Midfielders: Houssem Aouar (Al-Ittihad), Nabil Bentaleb (Lille), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Yassine Titraoui (Charleroi), Ramiz Zerrouki (Twente)
Forwards: Mohamed Amine Amoura (Wolfsburg), Nadir Benbouali (Gyori ETO), Adil Boulbina (Al-Duhail), Fares Ghedjemis (Frosinone), Amine Gouiri (Marseille), Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli), Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord)
