Nesrine Bahlouli set to switch allegiance to Algeria ahead of 2027 Women’s World Cup

Nesrine Bahlouli, who has represented France at youth level, is set to join the Algeria women’s team ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

The 23-year-old midfielder, who plays for Al-Nassr, is the sister of Fares Bahlouli and Mohamed Bahlouli. Both of her brothers play for US Biskra, the newly promoted Ligue 1 Mobilis club.

Bahlouli represented France from Under-19 level through to Under-23s and also trained with the senior France team. However, she has reportedly opted to play for Algeria, according to La Gazette du Fennec.

She is expected to strengthen the squad managed by Farid Benstiti as Algeria prepare for their first appearance at the Women’s World Cup. The tournament will be held in Brazil from 24 June to 25 July next year.

Born in Lyon, Bahlouli came through the academy at OL Lyonnes before playing for AC Milan and Girondins de Bordeaux. Primarily an attacking midfielder, she can also operate as a number nine-and-a-half and is considered a technically gifted addition to the Algeria squad.

Her decision follows that of defender Celina Ould Hocine, who changed her sporting nationality in favour of Algeria in mid-September.

Ould Hocine, 24, is currently with Paris FC and previously captained the France women’s Under-23 side. After developing at PSG, she joined PFC in the summer of 2020 and helped the club achieve a historic qualification for the Women’s Champions League in 2023.

Bahlouli and Ould Hocine are both expected to be included in Benstiti’s next squad.

Algeria secured their place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Cote d’Ivoire in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on 8 August in Casablanca, Morocco.

The Algerians fell behind when Cote d’Ivoire opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but Ines Khiri and Amira Ould Braham scored to complete the comeback.

The result represented another record for Algeria, who had reached the quarter-finals of the continental tournament for the first time the previous year, also in Morocco.