Algeria World Cup 2026 squad: Vladimir Petkovic's latest selection for March friendlies

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

The Algeria World Cup 2026 squad is taking shape ahead of the nation's first World Cup appearance in 12 years.

Vladimir Petkovic won't be naming one of the strongest squads at the tournament but there are recognisable names dotted throughout the roster he selected for friendlies against Guatemala and Uruguay in Italy in March.

With 2026 World Cup on the horizon and group opponents Argentina among the World Cup favourites , Petkovic and Algeria will feel they have a point to prove after two tournaments away from the spotlight.

Algeria had a busy December and January. They topped their group at the Arab Cup before losing on penalties to the United Arab Emirates in the second round, followed by the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco .

They won their group there too, going on to beat DR Congo in the round of 16 but lose 2-0 to Nigeria in the quarter-finals.

Riyad Mahrez will finally get his shot on a truly world stage after lighting it up in the Premier League and Champions League for several years, before a move to the Middle East.

He has an exciting supporting cast that includes Premier League star Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marseille forward Amine Gouiri and Luca Zidane , Zinedine's goalkeeping son.

Squad

Algeria's World Cup 2026 squad: The March selection

• GK: Anthony Mandrea (Caen)

• GK: Luca Zidane (Granada)

• GK: Melvin Mastil (Stade Nyonnais)

• GK: Kilian Belazzoug ( Rennes B )

• DF: Aissa Mandi ( Lille )

• DF: Ramy Bensebaini ( Borussia Dortmund )

• DF: Rayan Ait-Nouri ( Manchester City )

• DF: Rafik Belghali ( Hellas Verona )

• DF: Zineddine Belaid (JS Kabylie)

• DF: Achref Abada (USM Alger)

• DF: Mehdi Dorval (Bari)

• DF: Sohaib Nair (Guingamp)

• MF: Ramiz Zerrouki (Feyenoord)

• MF: Hicham Boudaoui (Nice)

• MF: Fares Chaibi ( Eintracht Frankfurt )

• MF: Houssem Aouar (Al-Ittihad)

• MF: Ibrahim Maza ( Bayer Leverkusen )

• MF: Yacine Titraoui (Charleroi)

• MF: Adil Aouchiche (Schalke 04)

• FW: Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli)

• FW: Mohamed Amoura ( VfL Wolfsburg )

• FW: Amine Gouiri (Marseille)

• FW: Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord)

• FW: Adil Boulbina (Al-Duhail)

• FW: Amin Chiakha (Rosenborg)

• FW: Nadhir Benbouali (Gyor)

• FW: Fares Ghedjemis (Frosinone)

Fixtures

• June 03, 2026: Netherlands vs Algeria, Feyenoord Stadium, Rotterdam, Netherlands

• June 16, 2026: Argentina vs Algeria, Arrowhead Stadium , Kansas City, United States

• June 22, 2026: Jordan vs Algeria, Levi's Stadium , Santa Clara, United States

• June 27, 2026: Algeria vs Austria , Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, United States

Recent Results

• March 27, 2026: Algeria 7-0 Guatemala, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, Italy

• March 31, 2026: Algeria 0-0 Uruguay , Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy

• January 10, 2026: Algeria 0-2 Nigeria, Marrakech Stadium, Marrakech, Morocco

• January 06, 2026: Algeria 1-0 DR Congo , Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat, Morocco

• December 31, 2025: Equatorial Guinea 1-3 Algeria, Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat, Morocco

• December 28, 2025: Algeria 1-0 Burkina Faso, Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat, Morocco

• December 24, 2025: Algeria 3-0 Sudan, Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat, Morocco

• December 12, 2025: Algeria 1-1 UAE (6-7 pens), Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, Qatar

• December 09, 2025: Algeria 2-0 Iraq , Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar

• December 06, 2025: Bahrain 1-5 Algeria, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar

• December 03, 2025: Algeria 0-0 Sudan, Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar

• November 18, 2025: Saudi Arabia 0-2 Algeria, King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• November 13, 2025: Algeria 3-1 Zimbabwe, Stade du 5 Juillet, Algiers, Algeria

• October 14, 2025: Algeria 2-1 Uganda, Stade Miloud Hadefi, Oran, Algeria

• October 09, 2025: Somalia 0-3 Algeria, Mogadishu Stadium, Mogadishu, Somalia

• September 08, 2025: Guinea 0-0 Algeria, Stade du 28 Septembre, Conakry, Guinea

• September 04, 2025: Algeria 3-1 Botswana, Stade de Berraki, Algiers, Algeria

• August 23, 2025: Sudan 1-1 Algeria (4-2 pens), Stade de Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco

• August 18, 2025: Algeria 0-0 Niger, Stade du 5 Juillet, Algiers, Algeria

• August 15, 2025: Guinea 1-1 Algeria, Stade Miloud Hadefi, Oran, Algeria

• August 08, 2025: Algeria 1-1 South Africa , Stade de Berraki, Algiers, Algeria

• August 04, 2025: Uganda 0-3 Algeria, Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda

• June 10, 2025: Sweden 4-3 Algeria, Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden

• June 09, 2025: Algeria 2-0 Rwanda, Stade Miloud Hadefi, Oran, Algeria

• June 05, 2025: Algeria 2-0 Rwanda, Stade Miloud Hadefi, Oran, Algeria

• March 25, 2025: Algeria 5-1 Mozambique, Hocine Ait Ahmed Stadium, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria

• March 21, 2025: Botswana 1-3 Algeria, Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, Francistown, Botswana

Manager

Who is Algeria's manager?

Vladimir Petkovicis undertaking his second international management role in the shape of Algeria.

Between 2014 and 2021 he was in charge of the Swiss national team , leading them in the 2016 and delayed 2020 European Championships, as well as the 2018 World Cup.

He's been in charge of Algeria since February 2024 after they parted with Djamel Belmadi following a second consecutive AFCON where they failed to make it out the group.

Star player

Who is Algeria's star player?

For many years Riyad Mahrezlit up the Premier League. In 2016, he was part of the Leicester side who achieved the unthinkable in winning England 's top flight, and was named the PFA Player of the Year after recording 17 goals and 10 assists.

He now plays in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli and won the AFC Champions League with them in the 2024-25 season, the first time the nationhave done so in their history.

He's still the lynchpin of this Algeria side, and much of their success on the pitch comes when he is playing well.

Best XI