The Algerian Football Federation has announced the appointment of Ibrahim Hamdani, 48, as new coach, succeeding Swiss coach Vladimir Petković, to lead the "Desert Warriors" on a new mission aimed at improving performance following their exit in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.
اضافة اعلان
Ibrahim Hamdani, who is 48 years old and earned four caps for Algeria as a player, will take on the role despite his limited coaching experience, after having led Algeria's under-21 team to a gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, last week. The Algerian federation had ended Petković's tenure in early August, despite an extension to his contract that had been set to keep him in charge of the technical staff until 2028.
Hamdani previously played for the Algerian national team as well as for Caen, Strasbourg, and Marseille in the French league, before ending his playing career with Scotland's Rangers in 2010. He is considered among the younger generation of Algerian coaches, and will look to improve the national team's level and return it to podium finishes at the continental level, particularly at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, leading a young and promising Algerian generation.
After retiring from playing, Hamdani gradually moved into coaching, beginning his experience as an assistant coach with France's Côte Bleue club, before taking charge of Colombes, then Marignane, which he oversaw for three seasons between 2022 and 2025, leading it to the third division. In July, Hamdani was appointed coach of the national under-20 team, marking his first direct experience within the Algerian federation's system. At the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, he led the youth team to a successful run that culminated in the gold medal, returning Algerian football to the Mediterranean podium after a 51-year wait.
Hamdani will be assisted in leading the Algerian national team by a former captain of the "Desert Warriors," while another former national team leader, Moussa Saïb, will take on the role of team director. The new technical staff will lead the national team into the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, starting with a first match against Zambia at Tizi Ouzou Stadium on September 25.
