photo by: Shawn Valverde/Special to the Journal-World

Attendees wave a giant Algerian flag on Friday, June 26, 2026

Ahead of Algeria’s final group stage match on Saturday, hundreds of fans gathered on KU’s campus Friday evening to support the team and celebrate with the community.

The rally happened right near Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Stewart Drive, with Algerian supporters dancing, singing and lighting flares to show their support for “Les Fennecs” before the huge showdown against Austria in Kansas City on Saturday at 9 p.m.

The Journal-World spoke with some Algerian fans during the event, and they were full of praise for how welcoming the Lawrence community had been for their team and fans.

Amine, a fan from the Dallas-area who did not give his last name, had tickets to go to the match with his wife. He said he saw the way the city has supported the Algerian national team on TikTok, and he said it was “heartwarming” to see the way the two groups — Lawrencians and Algerians — embraced each other.

Amine said he had been in the U.S. for 17 years, and in that time he knows there are “lots of stereotypes” about how people in America feel about Arab people. Seeing Algerians and Lawrence come together “made those (negative ideas) quiet,” and it is awesome to see.

Many of the Algerian fans who spoke with the Journal-World were visiting from different parts of the United States, including Texas, Miami and New Jersey.

Raouf, who also provided no lat name, said he and his daughter Fatima were visiting from El Paso, Texas, driving 15 hours through the rain to support the team. He said Lawrence people were humble, helpful and “always came with a smile.”

Raouf said that he wanted to visit the town after seeing the support on social media, and he used the French saying of “tipping (his) cap” for how kind and open-minded the people in Lawrence were.

“Maybe I will buy a house here,” Raouf said.

Many of the fans had tickets to the match on Saturday, but one family said they were most excited for this pep rally. Yacine and Amina Abada were visiting from New Jersey, and just flew in that day. While they are going to the match, Amina said she has been most excited to visit Lawrence because of how the community has cared for the team.

Amina said that in high school, she often had to explain her Algerian heritage to classmates. So walking down Mass. Street with her dad and seeing the way the community rallied for her country meant a lot.

“It’s incredible seeing (our country’s) flag everywhere and the customized shirts supporting Algeria,” Amina said.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Amina Abada, who is visiting Lawrence from New Jersey with her father Yacine, holds a flag referencing the 1982 FIFA World Cup, when Austria seemed to collude with West Germany on a result that eliminated Algeria in that tournament.

SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE RALLY HERE.