Algeria will take on Gambia in a two-legged play-off for a spot in the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN), with the first leg scheduled for May 3 at Bakau’s Independence Stadium and the return match set for May 9 in Annaba.
The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) confirmed the fixtures on Monday, marking a significant step in the qualification process for the expanded CHAN tournament, which will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from August 2 to 30.
Kick-off for the opening leg in Gambia is set for 3 p.m. GMT, while the return clash in Algeria will take place at the May 19, 1956 Stadium at 7 p.m. local time (6 p.m. GMT).
While the announcement of the match schedule brings clarity to the national team’s roadmap, it has also sparked debate and dissatisfaction within Algerian football circles.
Much of the controversy surrounds the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to approve the Independence Stadium in Bakau as the venue for the first leg — a facility previously deemed unsuitable for high-level international matches.
موعد المباراة المزدوجة للمنتخب الوطني المحلي أمام نظيره الغامبي، لحساب الدور التصفوي الثاني والأخير من بطولة إفريقيا للاعبين المحليين#LesVerts | #123vivalAlgérie🇩🇿 pic.twitter.com/a7R1V2dTqE
— Équipe d’Algérie de football (@LesVerts) April 14, 2025
The stadium’s sudden approval has drawn comparisons to past incidents where Algeria was required to play under substandard conditions.
Critics have pointed to similar experiences in Maputo, Mozambique and Gaborone, Botswana — particularly during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers — where pitch conditions and match environments were widely questioned.
The timing of those matches, notably during Ramadan, further fuelled concerns over CAF’s consistency in enforcing venue standards.
“The Confederation’s decision to greenlight the Bakau venue has surprised many, especially given its historical ineligibility for continental competition,” noted officials in the Algerian camp, with some interpreting it as part of a broader pattern of inconsistent governance.
Comme par hasard
La CAF holomgue le stade de la Gambie
le match aller Gambie-Algérie, comptant pour les éliminatoires du CHAN 2025 se jouera le 03 mai en Gambie
Lors du précédent tour, les Scorpions de Gambie avaient accueilli le Gabon à Dakar, capitale du Sénégal. pic.twitter.com/u3SWNnk96e
— Paradou Ac Talents (@Paradoutalents) April 13, 2025
Algeria, who reached the final of the previous CHAN edition on home soil, had initially opted out of this year’s qualification process.
However, after pressure from CAF, the national team re-entered at the second-round stage and received a bye in the opening round.
Their opponents, Gambia, progressed by defeating Gabon and now stand between Algeria and a place in Group C of the final tournament.
The winner of the tie will join Uganda, Guinea, Niger, and either South Africa or Malawi in the group stage.
With stakes high and controversy simmering, Algeria’s local-based squad, led by Madjid Bougherra, will be under intense scrutiny as they aim to secure their place in East Africa this summer.
