Algeria

Algeria enter World Cup 2026 in Group J, where the early tests are Argentina, Austria, and Jordan. Algeria have never won the World Cup, but their Round of 16 run in 2014 was a breakthrough, highlighted by an intense extra-time match against eventual champion Germany. The current squad is shaped around Riyad Mahrez, Ismael Bennacer, and Islam Slimani, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. Mahrez gives Algeria craft, while Bennacer can steady the midfield. To advance, they need to take maximum value from the non-Argentina fixtures and stay clinical in transition. If Algeria can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.