Vladimir Petkovic expressed readiness for his ‘new challenge’ as head coach of Algeria during his media presentation on Monday. The 60-year-old, known for leading Switzerland to the World Cup twice, eagerly anticipates guiding Algeria in their quest for qualification to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Arriving in Algiers on Sunday, the Bosnian embarks on his inaugural coaching venture in Africa.
“In my previous experiences, I had a lot of African players, but now the football is at an international level,” Petkovic remarked during his introduction in Algiers. His initial official tests will come against Guinea and Uganda in June for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.
The Desert Foxes commenced their 2026 World Cup Qualifiers with triumphs against Somalia and Mozambique. While Algeria secured their second AFCON title in Egypt in 2019, they faced early exits in the group stage during the last two editions.
