Petkovic extends Contract with Algeria ahead of 2026 world Cup
The Algerian Football Federation ,FAF, has announced the extension of national team head coach Vladimir Petkovic’s contract until 2028.
The announcement, made on Sunday, comes as a well-deserved reward for the Bosnian tactician, who has engineered a massive turnaround for the Desert Foxes since taking over in February 2024.
While his initial deal only ran through the 2026 World Cup, Algeria’s stellar form convinced the federation to secure his leadership for an extra two years.
The numbers speak for themselves. Under Petkovic, Algeria has been nearly unstoppable, racking up 21 wins, 4 draws, and just 3 losses across 28 matches. More importantly, he broke the qualification curse, guiding the team back to the FIFA World Cup stage for 2026 after the nation agonizingly missed out on both the 2018 and 2022 editions.
After humiliating group-stage exits in the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Petkovic steered the squad to the quarter-finals in 2025. This resurgence is mirrored in the FIFA rankings, where Algeria has shot up from 43rd to 28th globally, climbing to 4th in Africa.
By extending his contract, the FAF emphasized their desire for stability and total faith in the technical staff’s project. Next up for Petkovic’s rejuvenated squad is a massive World Cup opener against Argentina on June 17, followed by Group J clashes with Jordan and Austria.
