Algeria - World Cup: Oussama Benbot makes his return to the national team (Official)

Oussama Benbot makes his return to Algeria's extended squad for the 2026 World Cup, as first reported by Compétition and then confirmed by USMA.

Against all odds, Oussama Benbot has re-emerged on the Algerian national team scene. According to Algerian outlet Compétition, the USM Alger goalkeeper is included in Vladimir Petkovic's preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup, a piece of news later confirmed by his club through an official statement announcing his call-up.

See also: World Cup - Algeria: huge relief for Luca Zidane!

This comeback comes at a crucial time, with several goalkeepers out injured. Persuaded behind the scenes, Benbot himself declared his readiness: "I'm 100% ready to return to the national team."

Now, all that's left is to see if this scenario is confirmed in the final squad list. In a still unsettled pecking order, the USMA shot-stopper could well establish himself as a serious contender ahead of the World Cup.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

Related teams and leagues

Algeria

World Cup