Algiers – The technical staff of the Algerian national football team, led by coach Vladimir Petković, has called up defender Sahib Nayer from French club Guingamp to join the national team ahead of the upcoming matches against Botswana and Mozambique. These games are part of the fifth and sixth rounds (Group 7) of the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as announced by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) on Monday.
This marks the first-ever call-up for the 22-year-old defender Nayer to the senior national team. He is expected to arrive in the afternoon at the National Technical Center in Sidi Moussa, according to the FAF’s official website.
The national team coach had announced, on Friday evening, a list of 26 players for the two highly anticipated matches: against Botswana on Friday, March 21, in Francistown (14:00 Algerian time), and against Mozambique on Tuesday, March 25 (22:00) at the Hussein Ait Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou.
The squad list also saw the return of attacking midfielder Youssef Belaïli (33 years old), who had been absent from the national team since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (postponed to 2024) in Côte d’Ivoire. His recent impressive performances with his current club, Tunisia’s Espérance Sportive, in both the domestic league and the African Champions League, earned him a spot in the squad.
On the other hand, several players were absent from the list due to injuries, including defender Mohamed Amin Tougaï (Espérance Sportive of Tunisia), midfielder Ramiz Zerrouki (Feyenoord/Netherlands), and striker Baghdad Bounedjah (Al-Shamal/Qatar).
The national team will begin a preparatory training camp starting Monday at Sidi Moussa (Algiers), before traveling to Botswana on a private jet.
Following the fourth round of matches, which took place in June 2024, Algeria and Mozambique lead the group with 9 points each, three points ahead of Botswana, Guinea, and Uganda, who each have 6 points. Somalia sits at the bottom of the table without any points.
The top team in each group will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup finals. Meanwhile, the four best runners-up will compete in a continental playoff, followed by an intercontinental playoff to secure a qualifying spot.
The national team coach will hold a press conference on Monday afternoon at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Baraki, starting at 15:30. During the conference, he will discuss his technical choices, including the call-up of the new face, Sahib Nayer, and provide insights into the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
