Badredine Bouanani is likely to be left out of Algeria’s squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Botswana and Mozambique, as head coach Vladimir Petković prepares to announce his selection.
With the official squad list yet to be released, speculation is already mounting over potential omissions.
Bouanani, the OGC Nice winger, appears to be one of the players at risk of missing out due to his lack of recent playing time at club level.
Lack of minutes puts Bouanani at a disadvantage
Despite being called up twice in 2024—first for friendlies against Bolivia and South Africa in March, and later for Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Togo in October—Bouanani has yet to feature under Petković.
His absence from the national team setup has coincided with a decline in his role at club level, where he has struggled to secure regular minutes for Nice.
The 19-year-old has been left out of the squad entirely in some recent matches, including Nice’s 2-0 victory over Montpellier.
In three of the last four games, he has remained an unused substitute, a situation that significantly weakens his case for national team selection.
Petković’s selection criteria
Petković has made it clear that regular club football will be a key factor in his squad selections.
Players without consistent game time are unlikely to be included, a stance that could also impact Fares Chaïbi, who has seen limited action with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Bouanani now faces the challenge of regaining his place at Nice if he hopes to earn a recall for future international matches.
With Algeria aiming to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup, Petković appears determined to rely on players in peak condition, leaving Bouanani’s international future uncertain unless his club situation improves.
