Football / 2026 Women's AFCON Preparations

Algeria squad arrives, trains in Cairo

Friday, February 27, 2026 16:38
ALGIERS, 27 February 2026 (APS) - Algeria's national women's football team arrived in Cairo on Thursday evening ahead of two friendly matches against Egypt, scheduled for February 28 and March 2, as part of both teams' preparations for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to take place from March 17 to April 3. Shortly after arriving in the Egyptian capital, the squad, led by Chloé Yamina N'Gazi, held an opening training session at the Egyptian Football Federation's National Teams Centre. Overseen by head coach Farid Benstiti, the session focused on recovery work followed by technical and tactical drills, according to a statement published on the federation's official website. Friday's schedule includes one final training session at 4:30 PM ahead of the first friendly. Upon returning home, the 28 players called up by coach Benstiti will head straight to the National Training Centre (CTN) in Sidi-Moussa for the final three days of preparation, running through to March 7. Algeria will open their AFCON group stage campaign on March 17 against Senegal in their first Group A fixture. The team secured their place at the tournament after eliminating Cameroon over two legs last October, winning 2-1 in Oran and 1-0 in Douala. Algeria had booked their place in the final qualifying round after sweeping aside South Sudan in February 2025, winning 5-0 in the first leg and 3-0 in the return fixture. This will mark Algeria's seventh AFCON participation in their history and their second consecutive, following the 2024 edition in which Benstiti's side made history by reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Ghana on penalties (0-0, 2-4 on penalties).

ALGIERS - Algeria's national women's football team arrived in Cairo on Thursday evening ahead of two friendly matches against Egypt, scheduled for February 28 and March 2, as part of both teams' preparations for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to take place from March 17 to April 3.

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