Algeria welcomed by US delegation during Togo win in World Cup friendship exchange

A United States delegation joined Algeria supporters in the stands as the home side beat Togo 1-0 in Tizi Ouzou, marking the latest stage of a friendship that began during the 2026 World Cup.

Around 40 to 42 visitors from Lawrence and Kansas City in Kansas, along with representatives from Elkader in Iowa, arrived in Algeria on 9 November for an official friendship visit at the invitation of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The group attended Algeria’s match against Togo at the Hussein Ait Ahmed Stadium on Saturday evening. The game was the third round of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Members of the delegation sat in the stadium’s VIP stand and openly backed Algeria throughout the match, which the hosts won 1-0. They joined supporters in the celebrations and sang the Algerian national anthem before kick-off.

The Algerian Press Service reported that the visitors watched the game in a festive atmosphere that reflected the ties developed between the Algerian and American communities.

The delegation includes about 42 US citizens from Lawrence and Kansas City, as well as figures from Elkader. Among them are Lawrence mayor Brad Finkelday and Elkader mayor Joshua Pope.

They are joined by former US ambassador to Algeria Elizabeth Moore Aubin, Kansas City police inspector Megan Bardwell, and representatives from the University of Kansas and civil society.

The group visited Algeria’s National Technical Centre in Sidi Moussa on Thursday, where its members met the national team’s players and coaching staff. The meeting allowed them to reconnect with the squad that had been hosted by their city during the World Cup.

Their itinerary has also included visits to Algiers, Tipaza and Ghardaia, as part of a programme intended to strengthen cultural and human links between the two sides.

Lawrence hosted Algeria’s training camp during the World Cup. Hundreds of local residents went to the airport to welcome the players, while the city also embraced the large number of Algerian supporters who travelled there.

Among the images that spread widely was footage of police inspector Megan Bardwell dancing with Algerian fans.

Delegation members expressed their deep gratitude for the welcome and hospitality they had received in Algeria. They said the relationship formed during the World Cup had moved beyond football and developed into a genuine friendship between people.

American and Algerian media described the visit as an example of “people-to-people diplomacy”, highlighting its contribution to bilateral relations on a human and cultural level.

The delegation’s presence at the Togo match was one of the central moments of the visit, extending a connection that began in the streets and stands of an American city into an Algerian stadium.