Algeria have sacked Vladimir Petkovic, just weeks after he led them through the group stage of the 48-team World Cup in North America — and less than a year into a contract extension that was supposed to run until 2028.
The Algerian Football Federation confirmed the split on Monday, framing it as a "mutual agreement." Make of that what you will. A coach who signed a four-year deal before a tournament and got dismissed a month after it ended is not a coach who left on his own terms.
What the World Cup actually showed
Algeria scraped through as one of the best eight third-placed teams — not exactly a ringing endorsement of Petkovic's project. Their reward was a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the round of 32. That kind of exit doesn't kill a coach by itself, but it clearly wasn't enough to justify keeping a man who only took charge in February 2024.
There's a broader picture here too. Algeria were once the dominant force in African football, winners of AFCON 2019 and 2023 runners-up. Getting bundled out of a heavily expanded World Cup by Switzerland — in a format specifically designed to be kind to teams like Algeria — stings more than the scoreline suggests.
What comes next
The timing is awkward. Algeria open their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign in September, drawn in Group I with Zambia, Togo and Burundi. On paper, it's a manageable group. Without a head coach, it's a fixture list arriving too soon.
Whoever comes in will need to hit the ground running with no preseason, no squad-building window, and the pressure of a fanbase that expects significantly more than a last-32 exit at an expanded tournament. Algeria's AFCON qualifying odds look shakier than they should against that group — not because the opponents are strong, but because managerial uncertainty has a way of seeping into the dressing room fast.
The federation said Petkovic and his entire coaching staff have all been let go. The search for a replacement starts now.
