Algeria have parted ways with head coach Vladimir Petkovic, the national federation confirmed on Monday, bringing an abrupt end to a tenure that had appeared secure just months earlier.
The Algerian Football Federation announced that its contractual relationship with the 62-year-old Bosnian and his coaching staff had officially come to an end by mutual agreement.
In a statement, the federation thanked Petkovic and his team for their professionalism, commitment and dedication throughout their 29 months at the helm of the Desert Foxes.
The timing raised eyebrows given that Petkovic had signed a contract extension through 2028 shortly before the World Cup got underway, a move that signalled long-term confidence in his project.
That confidence evaporated quickly once the tournament began. Algeria progressed to the round of 32 at the expanded 48-team World Cup in North America, squeezing through as one of the eight best third-placed teams, only for their campaign to end in a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland.
Petkovic had taken charge in February 2024, succeeding Djamel Belmadi, and guided Algeria back to the World Cup after the side missed out on the 2022 edition entirely. That achievement, however, wasn’t enough to offset the disappointment of an early exit from the global stage.
Algeria now moves quickly into a new chapter, with qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations beginning in September. The Desert Foxes have been drawn in Group I alongside Zambia, Togo and Burundi, leaving the federation little time to identify a successor.
Reports suggest the search is already underway, with Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle and former Tunisia boss Herve Renard, who recently left his post, emerging as leading candidates to take the reins and steer Algeria toward continental redemption.
