Brahim Hemdani will take charge of Algeria for the first time in a competitive match when the Fennecs begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Zambia on Friday.
The 48-year-old was appointed Algeria coach 12 days ago and has already made several changes to the squad he inherited.
His first match will take place at the Hocine-Aït-Ahmed Stadium in Tizi-Ouzou, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm.
Hemdani has selected 26 players for the opening international camp, with a number of familiar names missing and several less-used or new options given an opportunity.
The squad is different from the one that will compete at the 2026 World Cup. Houssem Aouar and Ramiz Zerrouki, who were involved with Algeria at the tournament, have not been included.
There are also absences for different reasons. Riyad Mahrez and Aïssa Mandi have retired from international football following the World Cup, while Luca Zidane and Rafik Belghali are unavailable because of suspensions.
Hemdani has responded by bringing back or selecting players who have had limited involvement with the national team in recent months.
Amin Chiakha, Bachir Belloumi, Ilan Kebbal, Himad Abdelli, Adil Aouchiche, Sohaib Naïr and Ahmed Touba are among the players included in the new-look squad.
The changes point to an attempt to introduce fresh options, although Hemdani’s task is not simply about replacing established players.
He has retained a core of experienced footballers, including Ramy Bensebaïni, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Mohamed Amoura and Amine Gouiri.
The challenge for the new coach will be to combine that experience with the younger players entering the team.
Hemdani wants Algeria to develop an attacking approach while maintaining a strong defensive structure. Establishing that balance will be one of the early tests of his tenure.
The Zambia match provides the first opportunity to assess how quickly those ideas can take shape.
Algeria begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign at a time when both the squad and its leadership are changing.
With a new coach and several alterations to the playing group, the team’s hierarchy could also develop differently over the coming matches.
However, expectations of an immediate transformation have to be measured against the fact that this is Hemdani’s first competitive game in charge.
The focus will instead be on early signs of what his Algeria may look like.
The involvement of the newcomers will be closely watched, as will their ability to fit into the established group.
The team’s attacking approach and defensive organisation will also provide clues about the direction Hemdani intends to take.
Perhaps most importantly, the match will offer an initial indication of whether Algeria are simply working with a different selection of players or beginning to develop a genuinely different identity.
Hemdani has inherited a team with experienced figures still at its core, but he has also opened the door to a number of players who have not featured prominently in recent months.
That combination will be tested against Zambia in Tizi-Ouzou.
The match therefore represents more than the beginning of Algeria’s qualification campaign. It is also the first competitive opportunity for Hemdani to demonstrate how his changes can translate from the squad list to the pitch.
For the new coach, the process of building his version of the Fennecs starts on Friday.
