Niger appoint Algeria coach Nabil Neghiz as new national team boss

Nabil Neghiz is set to become the new coach of Niger, with the Algerian expected to be announced as the successor to Cheick Omar Diabaté.

The Niger Football Federation is due to reveal the identity of its new national team coach today, with an Algerian flag among the clues pointing towards Neghiz.

The 58-year-old is currently part of Vladimir Petkovic’s coaching staff and has served as the Algeria coach’s second assistant since February 2024.

He is now expected to take charge of Niger’s national team, known as the Mena, ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

Neghiz has considerable experience within Algerian football and has previously worked with several national team coaches.

He was an assistant to Christian Gourcuff between 2014 and 2016 before later working under Milovan Rajevac. He has also experienced international management himself, having taken temporary charge of Algeria for a match against the Seychelles.

Born in Jijel, Neghiz began his football career in his home region. He played for Kaous, Collo and JS Jijel before moving into coaching.

His managerial career has included several clubs in the Algerian top flight, including MCA. He has also gained experience outside Algeria through spells in Morocco, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

That background has now reportedly convinced the Niger federation to place him in charge of the national team.

Niger are preparing for the start of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which will be played ahead of next summer’s tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The Mena have not featured at the Africa Cup of Nations since 2013 and will face a difficult qualifying group.

Niger have been placed in Group A alongside Morocco, Gabon and Lesotho. Neghiz will therefore inherit a team looking to end its long absence from the continental tournament.

His appointment would also give Niger a coach with recent experience of working at international level, having been part of Petkovic’s staff with Algeria since February 2024.

The Niger federation is expected to officially confirm the appointment today, bringing an end to the uncertainty over who will replace Diabaté.

If confirmed, Neghiz will begin his latest coaching challenge with the task of guiding Niger through their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign and attempting to return the Mena to the continental stage for the first time since 2013.