Algeria booked a berth at next year's World Cup finals on Thursday, beating Somalia 3-0 to take an unassailable lead in their qualifying group.
Captained by former Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez, Algeria are the fourth African side through to the 2026 finals in North America, following Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.
A total of nine African teams will directly qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The other five group winners will be known over the next week. The four best runners-up play in a knockout competition in November and the winner advances to the playoffs.
This is the fifth time that the Algerians will be at the World Cup. The furthest they have progressed in a World Cup is in 2014, when they lost to Germany in the Round of 16.
The tournament draw will be held on December 5 in Washington DC.
© 2025