Tuesday evening in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria completed its qualifying phase for the 2026 World Cup by beating Uganda 2-1. A return to the final phase after twelve years of absence. The joy was immense, the Hocine AĂŻt Ahmed stadium was melting. Forty thousand cheering supporters, phones on in the dark, and the players presented one by one on the pitch to cheers. Mohamed Amoura, author of a double, took the lap of honor. The next day, Wednesday, the team was received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the People's Palace in Algiers. Official speeches, gift giving, photos in the hall of honor. A protocol with great fanfare.
Algeria: celebrations deemed disproportionate
Except that on social networks, the controversy quickly broke out. “It’s just a qualification, not a World Cup victory”we can read. “It’s bordering on ridiculous, to think that we won the final. » Criticisms abound, including from Algerian supporters. Many consider these celebrations excessive for a simple ticket among the 48 qualified nations. “Algeria deserves celebration, but not this state splendor,” summarizes a tweet. “Too many official images, when a simple tour of the stadium would have been enough. » A Facebook post drives home the point: “The dose of enthusiasm is unhealthy. »
The return of internationals to their clubs was delayed by this presidential ceremony. Some had to postpone their flights. A detail that annoys: “The players must quickly resume the club season. Why such a show? » ask several Internet users. The excess of official protocol, the individual presentation of each player, the profusion of means: everything is scrutinized. For many, the gap between real sporting achievement and the solemnity of the ceremonies is too great.
Between legitimate pride and premature triumphalism
Algeria has never progressed beyond the group stage in its four previous appearances (1982, 1986, 2010, 2014). This qualification certainly marks a return after twelve years of absence, but it does not constitute a historic feat. The country has been weaned on football happiness in recent years, granted. But should we still transform a qualification into a state ceremony? Algerians themselves continue to emphasize this on the networks. There is a worry: if the Fennecs do not surpass the groups in the summer of 2026, these festivities will be judged even more irrelevant.
The qualification is legitimate, the joy understandable. But measurement also matters. Algeria joins the 48 qualified, neither more nor less. The real test will be in North America next summer. There, we will see if these celebrations were justified. Or if they were just an enchanted parenthesis.
