ALGIERS, August 28, 2025 – Vladimir Petkovic, head coach of the Algerian national football team, has announced a roster of 26 players ahead of two upcoming matches: on Thursday, September 4, against Botswana in Tizi-Ouzou (8:00 PM), and on Monday, September 8, against Guinea in Casablanca (10:00 PM). These matches are part of the 7th and 8th matchdays of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the USA-Canada-Mexico tournament.
During a press conference at the “Mohamed Sellah” hall in the Nelson Mandela Stadium of Baraki, Petkovic revealed the squad. Notably, the list includes midfielder Ilan Kais Kebbal, who plays for Paris FC in France’s Ligue 1, marking his first call-up to the national team.
However, Petkovic will be without four players due to injuries: defenders Mohamed Farsi (Columbus Crew/USA) and Mohamed Amine Madani (JS Kabylie), as well as midfielder Himad Abdelli (Angers SCO/France). Additionally, midfielder Ismaël Bennacer is currently a free agent after AC Milan placed him on the transfer market.
The national team will kick off training on Monday at the National Technical Center (CTN) in Sidi Moussa before traveling to Tizi-Ouzou the day prior to their match against Botswana.
Following the conclusion of the 6th matchday in March, the national team leads Group G with 15 points, three points ahead of second-placed Mozambique (12 points). Botswana and Uganda share third place with 9 points each, while Guinea has 7 points, and Somalia sits at the bottom with only 1 point.
It is important to note that the winners of the nine groups will automatically qualify for the final phase of the 2026 World Cup, while the four best runners-up will compete in a CAF playoff tournament. The winner of the CAF playoff will then advance to the FIFA inter-confederation playoffs.
