photo by: Journal-World file

Artist Stan Herd is pictured in this file photo from July 2023 at the Dole Institute of Politics. Herd will create an earthwork design of the Algerian flag to welcome the national team and its fans to Lawrence during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A Lawrence artist known for creating earthworks will help welcome the Algerian national team to Lawrence by creating an image of the nation’s flag.

Score Lawrence, the group helping organize the city’s preparations for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, announced Thursday that renowned artist Stan Herd plans to create an image of the Algerian flag on a slope of grassland near Iowa Street and Bob Billings Parkway, behind the Lied Center at the University of Kansas.

The project is a collaboration between the Lied Center, Herd and Score Lawrence. John Nalbandian, a former mayor of Lawrence, provided the lead financial support for the project.

Herd said in a statement the quarter-acre site where he plans to put his design will be refurbished with new grass that will form the green of the nation’s flag. In addition to the new grass, Herd will use native Kansan materials like grass and limestone, as well as coco shell, wood mulch and bricks to complete the work. Because of the specific topography of the site, Herd said the flag design will “have an undulating pattern” that makes it look like it is waving in the wind.

Ruth DeWitt, the director of community relations for Explore Lawrence, said in a statement she thinks Herd’s plan to honor Algeria and its people with the design “embodies the idea that art brings us together.” She said she hopes that people visit the location and “feel the pride” and hopes of the Algerian team and fans as they compete in one of the most important sporting championships.

Herd said the design should be complete by the time the Algerian national team arrives in Lawrence by early June. As the Journal-World reported, the team announced in February the team would stay in Lawrence as its base camp during the monthlong tournament, training at the University of Kansas’ Rock Chalk Park.

Algeria is one of the four teams in Group J, which features the reigning World Cup winners Argentina, Austria and Jordan. Algeria is scheduled to play two matches in Kansas City during the group stage: the first match against Argentina on June 16 at 8 p.m., and the final game of group stage play on June 27 at 9 p.m. In between those matches, Algeria will play against Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on June 22, 2026.