Will Algeria have ‘home’ advantage for World Cup match? Coach, officials say yes
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Algeria will play Austria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City with a late 9 p.m. kickoff.
- Algeria is based in Lawrence using University of Kansas facilities as its base camp.
- KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer said this match had the highest number of locally bought tickets.
Argentina clearly had a “home”-crowd advantage while facing Algeria during the first FIFA World Cup match in Kansas City more than a week ago.
Algeria hopes to be on the other end of that dynamic for its final group-stage game on Saturday night at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium.
The “Desert Foxes” will face Austria in a late kickoff — 9 p.m. Central Time. They’re one of four teams that have chosen to have their base camps in the KC area during the tournament.
Algeria is based in Lawrence and is using the University of Kansas’ facilities at Rock Chalk Park.
For Algeria’s first match, the stadium in Kansas City was layered with the sky blue-and-white Argentina jerseys. Algerian fans were sprinkled here and there in small pockets.
After guiding Algeria to a 2-1 comeback win against Jordan to stay alive in Group J, manager Vladimir Petković was looking forward to seeing a lot of green and white in the KC stands this time.
“We felt good during the first match, too. Unfortunately, the majority of the crowd was Argentine — but Argentina plays ‘at home’ everywhere; that’s nothing new,” Petković said through a translator on Friday.
The Algerians played to a more favorable crowd in Santa Clara, California, with many of those fans celebrating the late winner.
“Already in the second game, let’s say away, we had a lot of support,” the coach said. “And tomorrow, again ‘at home,’ we really want and we expect many Algerians, as well as many Kansas Citians, who will cheer for us and give us the support to win the match.”
That expectation is likely on point. This match is the most locally bought ticket of KC’s four group-stage games, according to KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer.
That makes sense. The city of Lawrence and Kansas City area have embraced the Algerian team. Those spontaneous relationships have stood out as one of this World Cup’s best stories.
Algerian immigrants and citizens have been welcomed here. On social media, native Algerians have seen their image of Americans debunked by continuous kind gestures during the impromptu cultural exchanges.
Former U.S. ambassador to Algeria Elizabeth Moore Aubin is in Kansas City for the first time in 40 years in order to attend Saturday night’s showdown at Arrowhead. Aubin was the longest-serving U.S. ambassador to Algeria until January of this year.
“Algerians and Americans don’t know each other very well,” Aubin told reporters Friday, “despite the fact that we both won our independence through revolution, and we’re fiercely independent, we’re very proud of our flags.
“We have so much in common. We don’t know each other very well culturally; we’ve grown up sort of independently of each other.”
But the countries are becoming closer, Aubin noted, as American businesses target opportunities in African’s largest nation. The U.S. was Algeria’s biggest source of stock Foreign Direct Investment two years ago, according to the U.S. Department of State.
It’s a great time for the two countries to connect organically, Aubin said.
“There has never been an opportunity for this sort of flowering, this organic flowering that’s occurred, and they have been delighted by it,” Aubin said. “I think ... Algeria would like more of the United States, and the United States certainly would benefit from more of Algeria.”
While Algeria hopes for a homefield advantage Saturday, Austria sounded confident its fans will make their presence known, too. Like Algeria, the Austrians have beaten Jordan — but they are coming off a 2-0 loss to Argentina in Dallas on Monday.
This is Austria’s first trip to the World Cup since 1998. On Friday, manager Ralf Rangnick said he met a group of Austrian men who traveled 26 hours from Munich, Germany to Seattle, and then on to watch the team play in Kansas City.
“Just imagine what these people ... are going through to visit us here and watch these games; it’s truly something special,” Rangnick said. “There is a completely different kind of heartfelt support to be felt and I believe the players on the field feel it as much as we do.”
Some of the players from both squads are familiar with one another from playing together in Germany’s top soccer league, Bundesliga. And at least one Austrian, fullback Konrad Laimer, has an Algerian connection — his wife is of Algerian descent.
But there’s no rooting for Algeria in the couple‘s home.
“We both want to win the game tomorrow,” Laimer said with a laugh.
Some have wondered if there could be a so-called “Disgrace of Kansas City” on Saturday. It’s a nod to the “Disgrace of Gijón,” an incident during the 1982 World Cup in which Algeria was eliminated from the tournament: A West Germany win over Austria ousted Algeria on goal differential.
A “Disgrace of Kansas City” could happen, because the second-place team in the group will advance to play Spain — a World Cup favorite — in the Round of 32. Austria currently sits in second in the group, Algeria third. Both have three points; Argentina is in first place with six points.
Coaches from each team, as well as Laimer, brushed aside such speculation. Losing would eliminate Algeria, whereas a tie or win would send the Algerians to the knockouts for just the second time.
Already, a record four African teams have advanced to the knockout rounds of this year’s World Cup: Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Morocco and South Africa. A record 10 teams from Africa qualified for this year’s tourney.
“Africa is proving to be worth every competition more and more,” Petković said. “(Africa) can also produce good performances, but also results. ...
“I hope this will continue in the future, and as a small contribution, I hope we can reach the final 16 and provide this support for Africa.”
