Algeria withdraws from CHAN 2025 to focus on youth development

Algeria will not participate in the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN), marking a significant decision by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF). The announcement, made on Saturday, confirmed the withdrawal of the national team from the tournament, which is reserved exclusively for locally-based players.

The FAF revealed its decision following a federal office meeting, stating,

“The federal office has decided not to participate in this competition and will redirect efforts and resources towards the younger categories, both male and female.”

This move indicates a strategic shift in the country’s footballing priorities, aiming to invest in the development of youth talent.

Algeria’s withdrawal comes as a surprise to many, particularly given the national team’s strong performance in the last edition of the CHAN, where they reached the final on home soil.

The decision is expected to be disappointing for fans who had hoped to see the team build on that momentum.

Algeria’s CHAN journey in 2022 was highlighted by impressive performances from a squad composed entirely of local players.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced earlier in the week that the CHAN 2024, now postponed to February 2025, would likely be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The qualifiers for the tournament are set to begin on October 25. Despite this, Algeria will be absent from the competition, leaving their local players without the chance to compete on the continental stage.

This withdrawal is particularly notable given the recent influx of prominent players into the Algerian domestic league.

Stars like Islam Slimani, Andy Delort, and Ryad Boudebouz returned to play in Algeria this summer, raising expectations that they might feature in the A’ national team, which is comprised solely of players from Algeria’s domestic leagues.

Their participation could have added significant quality to the squad for CHAN 2025.

In June, the FAF had previously announced plans to revamp the A’ team after the departure of former coach Madjid Bougherra.

Discussions had even taken place about possibly sending the U20 team to the CHAN to avoid disrupting the domestic league schedule.

However, with this latest decision, Algeria has followed the example of other North African nations like Egypt, who frequently opt out of the tournament.

While the decision to withdraw from CHAN 2025 is disappointing for some, the FAF’s focus on youth football could yield long-term benefits.

By investing in younger age groups, Algeria hopes to build a stronger foundation for the future of its football program, aiming for success in both male and female categories.

This youth-focused strategy also aligns with the federation’s broader goals of fostering talent that can compete internationally at both junior and senior levels.

For now, though, fans will have to wait to see if this shift pays off in future tournaments as Algeria’s local players will not have the opportunity to showcase their skills on the continental stage at CHAN 2025.

pas de CHAN 2025 pour l'Algérie parce que la FAF se concentre sur d'autres sélections, bah oui!
Dommage de ne pas pouvoir voir des Benchaa, Mouali, Bouzok, Zeghba, Messoussa, Bouras, …. certains auraient pu espérer se mettre en valeur au CHAN pour intégrer les A. pic.twitter.com/5w37CbnZW0

— Siele (@Siele_SP) September 21, 2024