The Algerian national football team, Les Fennecs, discovered their opponents for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals on Friday evening. The draw took place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., with a high-level Algerian delegation present at the global event.
The Algerian delegation included the President of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), Walid Sadi, national team coach Vladimir Petkovic, his assistant Davide Morandi, the Algerian Ambassador to the United States, Sabri Boukadoum, and former national team captain Antar Yahia. The event garnered significant international media attention.
Tough Group for Algeria
The draw placed Algeria in Group 10, alongside:
- Argentina (2022 World Cup Champions)
- Austria
- Jordan
This group is considered one of the most challenging, given the presence of the reigning world champions. This promises highly competitive matches for the Algerian squad and significantly increases the challenge for the national team.
Expanded Format for Historic World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will be played with an expanded format, featuring 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stages. This format provides greater opportunities for teams aspiring to reach the later rounds.
Competition Begins in June 2026
The World Cup matches will be held between June 11th and July 19th, 2026, in stadiums across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The opening match is scheduled to be between Mexico and South Africa, mirroring the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
With the countdown to the global event underway, the Algerian national team enters a new phase of preparations, with high ambitions to go far in this historic edition of the world’s biggest football tournament.
