Algerian Football Federation Delays Decision on Petkovic's Future

The Algerian Football Federation has not reached a final decision regarding the future of national coach Vladimir Petkovic during the Federal Bureau meeting held on Saturday at the National Technical Center in Sidi Moussa, opting to wait for the results of a comprehensive technical evaluation of the team's performance before making a decision.

According to the website "El Khabar", the issue of the Algerian national team dominated much of the meeting's discussions, where Federation President Walid Sadi presented a detailed report lasting over an hour, reviewing the implications of the "Greens" exit from the 2026 World Cup, as well as sharing details of his meeting with the Swiss coach following the end of the campaign.

Sadi explained that Petkovic was significantly affected by the elimination against the Swiss team, initially expressing his willingness to leave his position, but later retracted this stance after returning to Switzerland, confirming his desire to continue overseeing the national team.

The FAF president added that the Swiss coach believes he has succeeded in achieving, and even exceeding, the goals agreed upon when he took over, citing leading the team to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, despite the initial goal being to reach the round of 16, in addition to qualifying for the second round of the World Cup, while the primary aim was merely to secure qualification for the finals.

Sadi confirmed that Petkovic clearly stated he would not leave his position except under the terms outlined in the contract, noting that any decision to terminate the contract must respect the financial obligations agreed upon by both parties. He also clarified that the contract includes a clause allowing for termination in exchange for a specified financial compensation, although this option is still under consideration.

To resolve this matter, the Algerian Federation decided to refer the evaluation of the team's participation to the National Technical College, which will prepare a comprehensive report on the team's performance under Petkovic's leadership, with this report serving as the basis for the final decision regarding his continuation or termination.

The Federal Bureau also discussed several potential scenarios in case the report recommends a change in the coaching staff, including reaching an amicable agreement with the Swiss coach to terminate the contract, or restructuring the coaching staff by adding an Algerian assistant with international experience to facilitate communication with dual-nationality players.

The meeting concluded without issuing any official decision regarding Petkovic's future, leaving the Swiss coach's fate hanging until the completion of the technical evaluation process, which will determine the next phase for the Algerian national team.