photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Ruth DeWitt, the director of community relations for Explore Lawrence, poses at the Score Lawrence headquarters in front of Algerian gear. She said seeing Lawrence in international news stories for welcoming the Algerian team and fans has been "phenomenal" to see.

When Algerian forward Amine Gouiri managed to score the winning goal off a corner kick in the 82nd minute Monday night to give “Les Fennecs” a 2-1 victory over Jordan, there were surely large celebrations in Algiers — but there were big celebrations in Lawrence as well.

Ruth DeWitt, the director of community relations for Explore Lawrence, was at the watch party in downtown Lawrence for the match Monday night, and the celebrations after Algeria secured the win even at 11 p.m. were symbolic of the way the city has rallied around the Algerian team and people.

“The celebration that took place … after the win was so passionate and joyous and fun to be a part of,” DeWitt said.

The way that Lawrence has embraced this Algerian team that elected to use the city as its base camp during the 2026 FIFA World Cup has become a viral story across the world of soccer. Lawrence was “the talk of the Algerian internet” according to an Algerian ambassador, and the city’s all-out response to welcome the Algerian side and fans got news mentions all over the world.

DeWitt was even interviewed on Algerian television, and during other Algerian team related events, there have been microphones placed in front of them from “all over the world,” including from the BBC. The special connection between Lawrence and Algeria has received mentions in publications like the New York Times and the UK-based outlet The Guardian.

“It’s just been crazy to watch the coverage,” DeWitt said. “To watch this town become an international world cup story is just phenomenal.”

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Score Lawrence’s headquarters is giving out free goodies like Algerian temporary tattoos so fans can express their support for Algeria.

Cori Wallace, a spokesperson for the city, said the national attention has showcased to the world what Lawrencians “have known for generations:” that the residents are “people who want to operate with warmth and kindness.” Wallace said the city has received a ton of social media comments, emails and letters from the broad Algerian diaspora that have been filled with support and the desire to keep up the cultural exchange.

“We’re all looking for ways to feel connection and shared joy,” Wallace said. “It’s been really moving, frankly.”

The city and the University of Kansas worked hard behind the scenes to be a team’s official base camp, and when it was officially announced in February that Algeria would stay in Lawrence, DeWitt and other organizers continued to find ways to welcome fans by having more translation options and preparing welcome videos. But the fan support from Lawrencians for Algeria has gone beyond any of their wildest dreams.

Before Algeria’s first match against Argentina on June 16, DeWitt was walking along Massachusetts Street from City Hall back to the Score Lawrence headquarters at 1026 Massachusetts St. She saw a sea of green shirts or Algerian jerseys and realized it was a scene “at the scale of a KU football home game.”

Lawrence fans rabidly adopted the Algerian team as their own, as seen by the flags strewn all around Massachusetts Street and the feverish buying up of Algerian merchandise. David Sauter, the co-owner of the T-shirt shop Acme Lawrence, said the sales this past week have been “up 120%” compared to the same week last year.

“It’s been crazy,” Sauter said, noting that long-term employees had “never seen it this busy, even around Christmas.”

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

T-shirts featuring Algerian designs — including the phrase “Rock Chalk, Algeria” are displayed at the t-shirt shop Acme Lawrence, 847 Massachusetts St. The co-owner said demand has been crazy for Algerian gear, with international and local residents wanting to show their support.

Sauter’s store has a variety of Algerian-themed tees, including a “Rock Chalk, Algeria” design that stemmed from a viral clip of a fan celebrating the team’s arrival to Lawrence. The demand for Algerian gear has been so crazy Sauter hasn’t been able to put those designs on its website because they sell out so quickly. And it seems like every person wants their hands on some gear.

“I’m making baby onesies and senior citizen Algerian T-shirts,” Sauter said. “People of every single demographic are coming in and getting a T-shirt.”

Sauter said fans from all over the world have stopped into the store during the World Cup, and in the past few weeks, he has gotten calls from people from Los Angeles, Wisconsin, Chicago, Des Moines and New York City. He said it has been amazing to meet the international fans flocking to Lawrence.

“For a little college town, in Kansas it’s pretty darn remarkable,” Sauter said.

Morgan Fellers, the owner and operator at the Eccentricity boutique, also has seen Algerian gear, which was printed by Lawrence-based Holman Needle and Ink, sell out “three or four times.” Fellers said many of the shirts have been bought by locals, but she has also gotten to meet other visitors coming into town. She said an Algerian family of six from Boston came in to all buy shirts, and she has gotten calls or messages half joking “do you ship to Algeria?”

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

T-shirts with special designs for the Algerian national team sit on sale at Eccentricity boutique, 716 Massachusetts St. The owner Morgan Fellers said they sold out of the designs “three of four times” because of people’s demand to show support for the team.

DeWitt said visitors from all over the world — especially Algerian fans — have stopped by the Score Lawrence headquarters as well to get ready for games. The headquarters has multiple TVs to watch games as well as other goodies available, like temporary Algerian flag tattoos and clear bags for fans going to the matches. DeWitt also said they had ordered Algerian scarves to sell for fans, but those sold out in four hours Monday.

The quick adopting of Algerian fandom highlights Lawrence’s reputation for “radical hospitality and embrace of people,” but DeWitt also thinks residents felt an additional call because of the difficulties that Algerians faced getting to the country.

Algeria was one of 50 countries listed by the U.S. State Department which were subject to a visa bond program that required residents to provide a $10,000 bond to obtain a visa. Although those restrictions were dropped for certain individuals before the World Cup, it was a really strict criteria which included only FIFA match ticket holders and athletes and team members. DeWitt thinks that fans in Lawrence understood those difficulties, and it “tipped the scales” for people in Lawrence to step up and support “Les Fennecs” along with Algerians.

“I think people were like ‘OK, this is our home team,'” DeWitt said.

The positive vibes are not just staying on the pitch. Wallace said that city officials are hoping to have upcoming meetings exploring “additional cultural bridges with Algeria,” including a possible Sister City arrangement. Although those discussions are just beginning, Wallace said the city is excited for the potential connection to continue.

Lawrencians and Algerian fans will be able to cheer on the team for at least one more match: the final group stage contest against Austria in Kansas City at 9 p.m. Saturday. Algeria can guarantee a place in the Round of 32 with a win over Austria and will likely advance with a draw. Although the tournament journey is up in the air, there is no doubt that both Algiers and Lawrence will be rooting for “Les Fennecs” as an uplifting World Cup story has bloomed in Kansas.

“The story (has been) of us welcoming this community, (but they) have embraced us as much as we’ve embraced them,” DeWitt said. “I think this is a feel-good story people are looking for.”

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Algerian flags are strewn on the awning of The Third Planet gift shop, 846 Massachusetts St., in downtown Lawrence. Many local businesses have shown support for the adopted team.