Brahim Hemdani appointed head coach of Algeria national team

The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has appointed former international Brahim Hemdani as the new head coach of the men’s national football team. Hemdani succeeds Vladimir Petkovic following the latter's departure after the 2026 World Cup.

Hemdani, 48, recently led the Algeria U21 team to a gold medal at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto. His new technical staff includes former captain Anthar Yahia as assistant coach, Moussa Saïb as general manager, and Nasser Daineche as physical trainer. Nasredine Berarma will continue as the goalkeeping coach.

The appointment follows an unsuccessful search for a foreign manager. Hemdani’s immediate priority is preparing the squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with upcoming matches scheduled against Zambia and Burundi in late September. While some observers question his limited high-level coaching experience, the FAF has opted for a local, all-Algerian staff to lead the team's reconstruction.