Algeria qualify for 2026 World Cup, first time since 2014″ />
Algeria has secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking their first qualification since 2014, following a dominant 3-0 triumph over Somalia. Mohamed Amoura was the standout player, netting two goals that helped the Desert Foxes become the fourth African team to punch their ticket to the tournament, joining Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt.
The Wolfsburg attacker set the tone early by volleying home a precise cross from Riyad Mahrez in the sixth minute. Mahrez, the former Manchester City star, then doubled Algeria’s lead before halftime by capitalizing on a defensive error.
In the second half, Mahrez continued to influence the game by assisting Amoura’s second goal in the 57th minute, extending Algeria’s lead to three. Confident of their qualification, coach Vladimir Petkovic opted to rest both goal scorers for the remainder of the match.
This outcome was widely expected in Oran, Algeria’s vibrant western port city, where the Desert Foxes enjoy a massive 163-place advantage over Somalia’s Ocean Stars in the FIFA rankings. Algeria currently leads Group G with 22 points and one game left, holding a comfortable four-point cushion over second-placed Uganda. Mozambique, Guinea, Botswana, and Somalia complete the group standings.
Adding to the excitement, Luca Zidane, son of French legend Zinedine Zidane, made headlines by switching his international allegiance to Algeria. The Granada-based goalkeeper, who previously represented France at youth levels, qualifies for Algeria through his paternal grandparents. Although Zidane was named on the bench, Alexis Guendouz, goalkeeper for Algerian champions Mouloudia Alger, started the match.
With this qualification, Algeria will participate in their fifth World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026. Their past appearances include early exits in 1982, 1986, and 2010, but they reached the round of 16 in 2014, narrowly losing 2-1 to eventual champions Germany in Brazil.
Elsewhere in African qualifiers, Kenya secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Burundi in a fiercely contested East African derby in Bujumbura. Ryan Ogam’s 73rd-minute strike proved decisive, despite Burundi playing nearly the entire match with ten men after forward Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana was sent off for a foul on Kenyan goalkeeper Brian Okoth, who was forced off due to injury.
– Controversial Red Card Incident –
Bimenyimana’s early dismissal set a tense atmosphere. Later, when Kenyan player Manzur Suleiman committed a studs-up challenge, Burundian players demanded the referee upgrade his yellow card to a red, but their appeals were denied.
Despite their numerical advantage, Kenya found it difficult to break down Burundi’s defense until stoppage time in the first half, when Burundi’s Jonathan Nahimana made a remarkable one-handed save from a long-range shot.
Kenya’s persistence was rewarded with Ogam’s goal, lifting the Harambee Stars to third place in Group F, eight points behind leaders and reigning African champions Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast and Gabon have been the dominant contenders in Group F, separated by just a single point as they approach their penultimate matches on Friday. The Ivorians will face the Seychelles in Mauritius, as the Seychelles lack a FIFA-approved stadium. Meanwhile, Gabon travels to Nairobi to play Gambia, who also do not have an international-standard venue.
A win for Ivory Coast combined with a Gabon loss would guarantee the Ivorians their fourth World Cup appearance and first since 2014.
Friday’s schedule features nine qualifying fixtures, including three crucial matches in Group C, where Benin, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Lesotho remain in contention to top the group.
Benin currently leads South Africa on goal difference, with both teams holding a three-point advantage over Nigeria and Rwanda. Lesotho trails the leaders by five points but improved their standing after FIFA awarded them a 3-0 victory over South Africa, overturning a 2-0 loss due to South Africa fielding the ineligible player Teboho Mokoena last March.