There is a small university town in the heart of the American Midwest that, in just a few days, has become the Algerian national team’s home away from home. It’s called Lawrence, Kansas — best known as the home of the University of Kansas Jayhawks — and it’s where Algeria has set up its headquarters for the 2026 World Cup, as long as it has games to play.
The team’s reception exceeded all expectations, going viral and turning Lawrence into a national story.
Lawrence, KS showing out for @LesVerts pic.twitter.com/6kqU8z2luN
— FIFA World Cup 26 Kansas City (@FWC26KansasCity) June 12, 2026
@meninblazers LAWRENCE, KANSAS’ LOVE FOR ALGERIA IS ONE OF THE WORLD CUP’S BEST STORIES
Since their arrival on Sunday night, Algeria have captured the heart of Lawrence and surrounding areas, and it’s everything we love about this beautiful game
@lelienofficiel, @elheddaftv.official, @algatedz @nabilkhazini #worldcup #algeria #kansas
♬ original sound – Men in Blazers
A star arrival
The team landed after midnight on June 8, greeted by a crowd of fans who had waited despite the storms, waving flags and chanting. It was not a welcome organized from above: it was spontaneous, authentic, surprising even for the organizers themselves. Fans lined K-10 just to watch the team bus pass by — a gesture that caught even KC2026 CEO Pam Kramer by surprise.
The Midwest shows off
Lawrence has built its welcome around what it already does well: festivals, art, music and community. The KU varsity band learned “Kassaman,” the Algerian national anthem, and played it for hundreds of people who flocked to a practice open to the public at Rock Chalk Park, many of them dressed in green, white and red. The players signed autographs and held a clinic for local children. A local bar posted a welcome video in Arabic and French that has nearly one million views.
The most spectacular touch came from world-famous artist Stan Herd, who cut out a thousand-square-foot Algerian flag on a hill in Lawrence, using grass and mulch.
“We haven’t even played yet.”
Mayor Brad Finkeldei summed up the spirit of these days with one phrase: “We embraced them, and they embraced us.” And he doesn’t seem worried that the enthusiasm might fade after the first game: “This is just the beginning of the relationship. We haven’t even played yet.”
The match
Algeria returns to the World Cup for the first time since 2014 and does so with a debut that is anything but simple: on Tuesday evening they face reigning champion Argentina, with Lionel Messi, at the Kansas City Stadium. Meanwhile, Lawrence prepares with a street party in the heart of the city and a screening of the match inside the Liberty Hall. An entire city cheering for a team that, until a few weeks ago, didn’t even know they were waiting.
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