New Algeria head coach Brahim Hemdani has omitted Houssem Aouar and Hicham Boudaoui from his first squad. Hemdani named a 26-man group for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers during the September international window.

Hemdani said at a press conference: "The squad announcement represents the first major selection decision of my tenure as Algeria turn their attention towards qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations 2027. We conducted a thorough review of recent form and player fitness, and that was the basis for our decisions." The move comes after he succeeded Vladimir Petkovic in the role, with the Algerian FA signing Hemdani to a three-year contract.

Hemdani's Selection

Established players like Ramy Bensebaini, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Nabil Bentaleb, Mohamed Amoura and Amine Gouiri were retained. The coach also called up new goalkeeper Melvin Mastil, alongside fellow keepers Abdelatif Ramdane and Kilian Belazzoug.

Other defenders in the squad include Zineddine Belaïd, Jaouen Hadjam, Ahmed Touba, Achref Abada, Samir Chergui, Sohaib Naïr and Saâdi Radouani. The midfield features Himad Abdelli, Adil Aouchiche, Farès Chaïbi, Ibrahim Maza and Adem Zagence. In attack, Monsef Bakrar returns, joined by Bachir Belloumi, Adil Boulbina, Amin Chiakha, Anis Hadj Moussa and Ilan Kebbal.

Enforced Absences

The technical staff clarified that some absences were unavoidable. Goalkeeper Luca Zidane and defender Rafik Belghali are unavailable due to suspension, while Yacine Titraoui is sidelined with an injury. A federation statement added that other omitted players, such as Aouar and Boudaoui, were left out for purely technical reasons following a review of their recent club form.

This selection comes as Algeria currently sit third in their World Cup qualifying group with 4 points from 3 games. Their most recent result was a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland on July 3rd, a match which saw a disappointing team performance according to analysts' reports. Fans can check the full upcoming fixtures schedule.

Hemdani's first official task will be to host Zambia on September 25th in the Afcon qualifiers. The new coach aims to use this early international window to implement his ideas and build a fresh team. Hemdani indicated the focus will be on developing a more effective attacking style of play while maintaining defensive discipline. Supporters can follow the latest player stats and injuries news on our site.

This story first appeared at AllAfrica Soccer