Algeria 2026 World Cup squad: Petkovic drops Bennacer as final list confirmed

Algeria have confirmed their squad for the 2026 World Cup, with coach Vladimir Petkovic making several significant decisions, including the omission of midfielder Ismaël Bennacer from the final selection.

The announcement, made on Sunday via the national team’s official channels, ends weeks of speculation over the composition of the squad as Algeria prepare for the tournament.

The group includes several established figures, with Riyad Mahrez, Amine Gouiri, Houssem Aouar, Ramy Bensebaïni, Aïssa Mandi and Rayan Aït-Nouri all included as part of Petkovic’s plans.

In goal, the coach has selected Luca Zidane, Oussama Benbot, Melvin Mastil and Abdelatif Ramdane, providing four options in the goalkeeping department ahead of the competition.

One of the most notable talking points is the exclusion of Ismaël Bennacer, with Nabil Bentaleb preferred in midfield as Petkovic finalised his selections.

According to details shared by Footmercato, the full squad features seven midfielders: Hicham Boudaoui, Houssem Aouar, Nabil Bentaleb, Ramiz Zerrouki, Yacine Titraoui, Ibrahim Maza and Fares Chaïbi.

The defensive unit consists of Rafik Belghali, Achraf Abada, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Samir Chergui, Jaouen Hadjam, Zineddine Belaïd, Mohamed Tougaï, Ramy Bensebaïni and Aïssa Mandi.

In attack, Petkovic has opted for Riyad Mahrez, Anis Hadj-Moussa, Mohamed Amoura, Nadhir Benbouali, Adil Boulbina, Amine Gouiri and Fares Ghedjemis.

The squad list therefore contains 29 players in total, with several notable absentees alongside Bennacer, including Himad Abdelli, Baghdad Bounedjah and Ilan Kebbal.

In goal, Luca Zidane has been included after recovering from a double chin-jaw fracture, while Melvin Mastil is also among the selected goalkeepers for the tournament.

Petkovic’s final selection reflects a blend of experience and youth as Algeria prepare for their World Cup campaign, with the coach making bold decisions in key areas ahead of the tournament.