Algeria to face DR Congo twice in CHAN 2024 warm-up showdowns

Algeria’s home-based national team will step up their preparations for the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a pair of high-profile friendlies against DR Congo at the end of July.

The North Africans, led by coach Madjid Bougherra, will enter a key pre-tournament training camp on July 20, which will culminate in two matches designed to sharpen their tactical edge before the continental competition kicks off in early August.

The Algeria Football Federation confirmed the fixtures during its recent executive committee meeting, identifying the DR Congo clashes as critical to assessing form, fitness, and squad cohesion ahead of CHAN Group C action.

The CHAN tournament—reserved exclusively for players based in domestic leagues—will be staged across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 2–30 August 2025.

Algeria, drawn into a tough pool featuring Uganda, Guinea, South Africa, and Niger, are eager to arrive at the tournament in peak condition.

Coach Bougherra, who led Algeria to the final in the last edition of CHAN, will be using the DR Congo encounters to test his tactical setup and solidify starting positions across key departments of the team.

The friendlies are not just about form. Both Algeria and DR Congo have ambitions of making deep runs at CHAN 2024, and the meetings between them—two of Africa’s most consistent CHAN performers—are expected to offer valuable insight and competitive edge before the real battle begins.

Meanwhile, DR Congo, placed in Group B alongside Kenya, Morocco, Zambia, and Angola, will also use the matches to fine-tune their approach under tournament pressure.