Oran (Algeria), October 10 (HS): Algeria secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after cruising to a 3–0 victory over Somalia in a qualification match at the Miloud Hadefi Stadium on Thursday night.Mohamed Amoura was the star of the evening, netting twice, while captain Riyad Mahrez added another to complete a dominant display for The Desert Foxes.

With this triumph, Algeria strengthened their position at the top of Group G, collecting 22 points from nine matches, including seven wins, one draw, and one defeat.This achievement marks Algeria’s fifth appearance at football’s grandest stage, having previously qualified in 1982, 1986, 2010, and 2014.Algeria have now become the fourth African nation to book a ticket to the 2026 World Cup, joining Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt among the early continental qualifiers.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada — the first edition to feature an expanded 48-team format across three host nations.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar