# Football in Algeria

Football in Algeria (soccer) is the country's most popular sport. The country's top domestic league is organised into two national divisions, the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 and the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2, overseen by the Algerian Football Federation.

## History
### Beginning

On 11 April 1882, during the French occupation of Algeria era, the first Algerian club was formed in Oran. L'Oranaise Club was founded by European settlers, it's one of the first clubs in all Africa continent. On 5 February 1894, Club des Joyeusetés d'Oran, was founded in the neighborhood El-Derb of Oran. It was followed in the same year by the Club Athlétique Liberté d'Oran (CAL Oran), formed in 1897 by European settlers too in the neighborhood Saint-Antoine of Oran under the name Club Athlétique d'Oran. These are the first clubs in the country and the Maghreb. Other clubs will follow later, and will be created in various cities including Oran.
In 1898 was created the first Muslim club, CS Constantine was born in Constantine under the name of IKBAL Emancipation.
In 1911 the French Football Federation creates a North African Championship representing the third French division (honor league), which became an official competition in 1921 after creation in 1920 of the three regional leagues in Oran, Algiers and Constantine, the winner of each league qualify to a North African Championship.

### After independence

The Algerian Football Federation was founded in 1963 in order to organise national competitions and international matches. The first national championship and the cup started immediately after independence in 1962.

## Club football

| Level | League(s) / Division(s) | League(s) / Division(s) | League(s) / Division(s) | League(s) / Division(s) | League(s) / Division(s) | League(s) / Division(s) | League(s) / Division(s) | League(s) / Division(s) |
| 1 | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 16 clubs |
| 2 | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs | Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 2 16 clubs |
| 3 | National – Group West 16 clubs | National – Group West 16 clubs | National – Group West 16 clubs | National – Group Centre 16 clubs | National – Group Centre 16 clubs | National – Group East 16 clubs | National – Group East 16 clubs | National – Group East 16 clubs |
| 4 | Inter-Régions – Group West 16 clubs | Inter-Régions – Group West 16 clubs | Inter-Régions – Group Centre West 16 clubs | Inter-Régions – Group Centre West 16 clubs | Inter-Régions – Group Centre East 16 clubs | Inter-Régions – Group Centre East 16 clubs | Inter-Régions – Group East 16 clubs | Inter-Régions – Group East 16 clubs |

### List of football clubs in Algeria by major honours won
#### Before independence period (French Algeria)

Below is a list of football clubs in Algeria before independence. It contains all clubs that have played in different French Algerian leagues divisions before 1962, the independence year of Algeria. Most of the clubs that were founded by the European settlers were dissolved in 1962.
| Club | Regional Leagues (Algiers, Oran, Constantine) | Regional Leagues (Algiers, Oran, Constantine) | Algeria | Algeria | North Africa | North Africa | Total |
| Club | Champ. (LA / LO / LC) | Cup (FC / OC / CC) | CFA | AC | NACh | NAC | Total |
| SC Bel Abbès | 15 | | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 28 |
| GS Alger | 9 | | 2 | - | 4 | - | 15 |
| CDJ Oran | 7 | | - | - | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| FC Blida | 6 | | - | - | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| AS Saint Eugène | 6 | | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| RU Alger | 4 | | - | - | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| USM Oran | 7 | | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| JAC Bône | 5 | | - | - | 1 | - | 6 |
| AS Marine d'Oran | 3 | | - | 1 | 1 | - | 5 |
| O. Hussein Dey | 4 | | 1 | - | - | - | 5 |
| AS Boufarik | 5 | | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| ESM Guelma | 3 | | - | - | 1 | - | 4 |
| AS Bône | 4 | | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| US Constantine | 4 | | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| GC Oran | 2 | | - | - | 1 | - | 3 |
| GS Orléansville | 3 | | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| JS Guelma | 3 | | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| RC Philippeville | 3 | | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| USSC Témouchent | 1 | | - | - | - | 1 | 2 |
| FC Oran | 2 | | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| JS Djidjelli | 2 | | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| MC Alger | 2 | | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| MO Constantine | 2 | | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| SO Sétif | 2 | | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| USM Sétif | 2 | | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| GS Perrégauloise | - | | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| AC Bône | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| AS Marsa | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| CAL Oran | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| GC Mascara | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| JSM Philippeville | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| JS Philippeville | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| US Blida | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| USM Bône | 1 | | - | - | - | - | 1 |

#### After independence period (Algeria)

Below is a list of football clubs in Algeria. It contains all clubs that have played in different Algerian leagues divisions since 1962, the independence year of Algeria. However most of teams were founded before this year.
| Club vte | Algeria | Algeria | Algeria | Algeria | Maghreb | Maghreb | North Africa | North Africa | North Africa | North Africa | Arab World | Arab World | Arab World | Africa | Africa | Africa | Africa | Africa | Inter. | Inter. | Total |
| Club vte | L | C | SC | LC | CC | WC | NC | CC | WC | SC | CC | WC | SC | CL | CCC | SC | WC | CC | AAC | CWC | Total |
| JS Kabylie | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | 3 | - | - | 27 |
| ES Sétif | 8 | 8 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 27 |
| CR Belouizdad | 10 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 25 |
| MC Alger | 8 | 8 | 3 | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23 |
| USM Alger | 8 | 8 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 21 |
| MC Oran | 4 | 4 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 |
| USM El Harrach | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| WA Tlemcen | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| ASO Chlef | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| USM Bel Abbès | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| CS Constantine | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| NA Hussein Dey | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Hamra Annaba | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| RC Kouba | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| US Chaouia | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| MO Constantine | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| GC Mascara | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| JSM Béjaïa | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| MO Béjaïa | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| CR Béni Thour | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| JH Djazaïr | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| MC Saïda | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |

### Non-CAF competition

The 1982 African Super Cup is a match which took place on January 25, 1982 during the Tournament of Fraternity in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. JS Kabylie won this trophy against the Cameroonians of Union Douala. The newspaper France Football commented on this event of the birth of the brand new African Super Cup.

#### Legends

| Algeria | L | Algerian Ligue 1 |
| Algeria | C | Algerian Cup |
| Algeria | SC | Algerian Super Cup |
| Algeria | LC | Algerian League Cup |
| Maghreb | CC | Maghreb Champions Cup |
| Maghreb | WC | Maghreb Cup Winners Cup |
| North Africa | NC | UNAF Club Cup |
| North Africa | CC | North African Cup of Champions |
| North Africa | WC | North African Cup Winners Cup |
| North Africa | SC | North African Super Cup |
| Arab World | CC | Arab Club Championship |
| Arab World | WC | Arab Cup Winners' Cup |
| Arab World | SC | Arab Super Cup |
| Africa | CL | CAF Champions League |
| Africa | CCC | CAF Confederation Cup |
| Africa | SC | CAF Super Cup |
| Africa | WC | African Cup Winners' Cup |
| Africa | CC | CAF Cup |
| Inter-continental | AAC | Afro-Asian Club Championship |
| Inter-continental | CWC | FIFA Club World Cup |

## National teams
### FLN team

In 1958, a representative selection of Algeria's National Team (FLN football team) is secretly created by the National Liberation Front (FLN) to serve the cause of Algeria. it is composed essentially of professional players who play in the French league such Rachid Mekhloufi. The team played its first international game in a group test before its creation in 1957 in Tunis against Tunisia. Its played several friendly matches with high level national teams and clubs.

### Algeria national team

After independence in 1962, Algeria's national team replace the FLN football team. This team saw its period of greatest success in the 1980s with great players such Lakhdar Belloumi, Rabah Madjer, Salah Assad. Algeria qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1982 and 1986, 2010 and 2014 and qualified to second round in 2014 World Cup after defeating 4-2 South Korea and 1-1 drawing with Russia. The team was eliminated by Germany, crowned as champions by a 2–1 score at extra time.
During the 1982 tournament, Algeria managed a surprise defeat of West Germany in their first ever World Cup game and thus became the first African team to defeat European opposition at the World Cup, but were eliminated after the so-called "Shame of Gijón".
Due to Algeria's historic ties with France, there have been a number of Algerian players playing professionally in the French leagues, while the France national team has included players of Algerian heritage, most notably Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri.

### Future for the Algerians Program

* Stade du 5 Juillet Capacity: 64,000
* 19 May 1956 Stadium Capacity: 56,000
* 24 February 1956 Stadium Capacity: 45,000
* Ahmed Zabana Stadium Capacity: 40,000
* Mustapha Tchaker Stadium Capacity: 25,000
* Mohamed Hamlaoui Stadium Capacity: 22,986

## Support

Twitter research from 2015 found that the most popular English Premier League club in Algeria was by far Arsenal, with 43% of Algerian Premier League fans following the club, followed by Chelsea (19%) and Manchester City (11%).