Algeria Appoints New Football Head Coach

The Algerian Football Federation has appointed former Marseille midfielder Brahim Hemdani as head coach following the departure of Vladimir Petkovic, state television reported on Saturday.

The 48-year-old French-born coach, who won two caps for Algeria during his playing career, takes on the role after leading Algeria’s under-21s to gold in the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, last week.

The federation ended Petkovic’s tenure in early August despite a contract extension that was due to keep him in charge until 2028.

Under Petkovic, Algeria qualified for the knockout stage of the World Cup for only the second time in their history, matching their achievement from 2014, helped in part by the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams.

However, their campaign ended in the last 32 with a 2-0 defeat by Switzerland.

Algeria had also fallen short at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, exiting in the quarter-finals after a 2-0 loss to Nigeria.

Author

Jimisayo Opanuga

Jimisayo Opanuga is a web writer in the Digital Department at News Central TV, where she covers African and international stories. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, justice, and the environment, alongside general-interest news. She is passionate about telling stories that inform the public and give voice to underreported communities.