Algeria name two newcomers for Togo qualifiers as Zidane and Ait-Nouri omitted

Brahim Hemdani has announced his Algeria squad for the two-match Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying tie against Togo, with Abde Rebbach and Mohamed Azzi receiving their first call-ups.

The Algeria manager retained most of his established players, including Maza, Gouiri, Hadj-Moussa, Belghali and Bensebaini. However, his decisions in goal and the omission of several prominent names are likely to attract attention.

Rebbach, 28, has been rewarded for his consistent form with Deportivo Alaves. Born in Blida, the left winger has established himself as an important player for the club in La Liga and will now have the opportunity to make his debut for Algeria.

Azzi is the other new face in the squad. The right-back, who has previously represented Algeria at Under-23 level, has impressed for CSKA Moscow. The Ouargla-born defender will compete with Rafik Belghali and Achref Abada for a position where the pecking order remains unsettled.

There is also a return for Oussama Benbot. The USM Alger goalkeeper has been recalled after the 2026 World Cup and was included among the 10 best African goalkeepers at the CAF Awards 2026. His inclusion could alter the competition for a position where Hemdani continues to assess his options.

Rafik Ghedjemis is back in the squad after making an impact at Frosinone in Serie A. The right winger has scored one goal and provided four assists this season, but he faces strong competition from Anis Hadj Moussa and Mohamed Bachir Belloumi. Hemdani may therefore need to adjust his attacking set-up to accommodate his options in that position.

Yacine Titraoui also returns after missing the previous international break through injury. The RC Lens midfielder resumed competitive action in October.

Zidane and Ait-Nouri left out

Luca Zidane’s absence was confirmed, with Hemdani pointing to the playing time of the goalkeepers he selected.

“I needed to have a choice between three goalkeepers who had the maximum playing time. The three selected have had the maximum playing time since the last international break,” he said, presenting the decision as purely sporting.

Rayan Ait-Nouri is another notable omission. The Manchester City defender remains out of favour with the staff following his disagreement during the previous camp and has not yet offered the expected apology. He has consequently been left out of the squad for now.

Ilan Kebbal has also missed out despite being captain of Paris FC. The attacking midfielder faces particularly strong competition for a place in the Algeria team, as was the case under Vladimir Petkovic. His Paris FC team-mate Samir Chergui is unavailable because of injury.