Women’s AFCON 2026: Algeria to face Zambia in final warm-up matches

Algeria’s women’s national team will complete its preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with two international friendlies against Zambia as head coach Farid Benstiti fine-tunes his squad ahead of the tournament in Morocco.

The Algerian Football Federation has arranged the matches for 19 and 22 July at the Mustapha-Tchaker Stadium in Blida. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00pm for the opening encounter, while the second match will begin at 6:00pm.

The fixtures are expected to provide Algeria with a valuable opportunity to improve team cohesion and sharpen their competitive edge before the continental competition gets under way.

Preparations have already begun at the National Technical Centre in Sidi Moussa, Algiers, where the squad assembled for a training camp on Monday.

Midfielder Lina Boussaha and her teammates have started the final phase of their build-up under Benstiti, who recently announced a 26-player squad for the tournament.

The upcoming friendlies against Zambia will allow the coaching staff to assess the team’s progress under match conditions and make any final tactical adjustments before the opening fixture of the competition.

Algeria will be making their seventh appearance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and have been drawn into Group A alongside tournament hosts Morocco, Senegal and Kenya.

Facing Zambia shortly before the tournament offers an important test as the team prepares for what is expected to be a demanding group-stage campaign. The matches will also give Benstiti the chance to evaluate player combinations and overall fitness ahead of the opening round.

There is also optimism within the Algerian camp following the team’s encouraging performance at the previous edition of the competition.

Algeria reached the quarter-finals for the first time before their campaign ended in a penalty shootout defeat to Ghana after a goalless draw. Ghana eventually prevailed 4-2 on penalties to advance.

That run has provided a platform for the current squad as they look to build on their recent progress and challenge once again on the continental stage.

Algeria secured qualification for the 2026 Women’s AFCON in October 2025 with two victories over Cameroon. They recorded a 2-1 win in the first leg in Oran before completing the job with a 1-0 success in Douala to book their place at the finals.

With the tournament scheduled to run from 26 July to 16 August in Morocco, the two matches against Zambia represent Algeria’s final opportunity to prepare under competitive conditions before attention turns to their Group A campaign.

The upcoming friendlies are expected to play a key role in ensuring the squad enters the tournament fully prepared for another bid to make history at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.