Before Algeria had even kicked a ball at the 2026 World Cup, the team had already won over one US city.
In Lawrence, Kansas, a college town better known for the University of Kansas Jayhawks than for international football, the Algerian national team’s arrival has triggered an unexpected outpouring of affection.
The city’s relationship with the Algerian team, affectionately known as the Desert Foxes, began months before the tournament, when Lawrence was officially announced in February as Algeria’s base camp for the World Cup.
The team selected Rock Chalk Park as its training home, with city officials describing Lawrence as Algeria’s “home away from home” during the tournament.
That meant Algeria’s coaches, players and support staff would become temporary residents of the city while preparing for their group-stage matches.
