🇩🇿AlgeriaNorth Africa
Cameron Mofid, youngest traveler to visit 195 countries, names Algeria his favorite African nation
via Algérie3604 min read
Cameron Mofid, a 25-year-old American, has become the youngest person to visit all 195 recognized countries. Among these, he has designated Algeria as his favorite country in Africa, praising its ancient heritage, cuisine, and the warm hospitality of its people. Mofid described Algeria as "clearly underestimated" and an "unexpected" destination compared to more commonly visited African countries like Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and South Africa. He noted that Algeria offers a sense of discovery, allowing visitors to uncover something "deeply mysterious" due to its lack of over-exposure to tourism. Mofid's experience, which occurred in 2025, highlighted the country's preserved traditions, ancient ruins, and generous gastronomy. His sentiments are echoed by other international figures, including streamer IShowSpeed, who was impressed by Algeria's local cuisine and Saharan landscapes in Djanet in February 2026. International publications have also recognized Algeria's potential. The USA Herald dedicated a detailed report to Algeria's exceptional tourism wealth, from the Casbah of Algiers to the Roman ruins of Timgad, in February 2026. The Washington Post, in early 2026, placed Algeria at the top of its list of destinations to explore away from crowds, calling it an example of "under-tourism." Tony Wheeler, founder of Lonely Planet, noted the country's solid infrastructure and diverse landscapes, while Condé Nast Traveler ranked Algeria first in its Top 5 African destinations for 20
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Algerian forward Mohamed-Amine Amoura will miss the upcoming World Cup 2026 qualifying matches against Jordan and Austria due to a thigh injury sustained during training. The Wolfsburg player is expected to be out for two weeks, a significant blow for coach Vladimir Petkovic, whose team faces pressure after a 3-0 loss to Argentina in their opening match. Amoura's absence, confirmed by medical examinations, deprives Algeria of a key offensive player known for his speed and goal-scoring ability. The team, having lost its first match, cannot afford further missteps, making Amoura's unavailability particularly challenging for Petkovic as he rethinks his offensive strategy. The match against Jordan is crucial, as both teams lost their opening games. Austria, Algeria's third opponent in Group J, also faces injury concerns with Christoph Baumgartner out. Petkovic will need other players, including Riyad Mahrez, to step up in Amoura's absence.
Must ReadSaudi giant Midad Energy has officially launched its first venture into the Algerian market with a $5.4 billion production sharing project in the Illizi South basin, in partnership with Sonatrach. This significant investment is among the largest foreign contributions to Algeria's upstream oil and gas sector in recent years. The project aims to recover one billion barrels of oil equivalent over 30 years, strengthening cooperation between the two energy companies. The launch followed a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, where Minister Mohamed Arkab and Midad Energy North Africa executives reviewed the project timeline, emphasizing adherence to deadlines and international standards. The project will unfold in two phases: a seven-year evaluation and exploration phase, funded entirely by Midad Energy with $288 million for seismic studies and drilling over 13 appraisal wells; followed by a production phase involving a $5.1 billion investment for drilling approximately 60 additional wells and installing four compression units. Two units will have a capacity of 12 million cubic meters per day, and the other two 8 million cubic meters per day. Long-term projections estimate the extraction of 125 billion cubic meters of natural gas, 103 million barrels of LPG, and 101 million barrels of condensate over 30 years. Midad Energy has expressed interest in expanding its activities further along Algeria's oil and gas value chain, with both partners exploring new co-investment
Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has been appointed to officiate the Algeria-Jordan World Cup 2026 match on June 23. This decision has drawn attention due to a past controversy involving Vincic. In 2020, he was present at a party in Bijeljina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, where police seized narcotics, weapons, and other materials. Vincic was questioned as a witness, not a suspect, and stated his presence was due to a professional invitation, calling it a "grave error" and expressing regret. The FIFA was aware of the incident but did not remove him from their lists, and he has since continued to officiate high-level international matches. This appointment comes as Algeria faces a critical second group match, with any contentious refereeing decision expected to be heavily scrutinized. The Algerian team is already under pressure following a controversial match against Argentina on June 17, where Polish referee Szymon Marciniak reportedly overlooked several fouls against Algerian players. The Algerian Football Federation filed an official complaint with the FIFA, which later acknowledged a judgment error by the VAR referees and issued sanctions. The selection of Vincic for the Algeria-Jordan match reignites debate about the FIFA's criteria for appointing referees in high-stakes games, especially when officials have past controversies. This discussion extends beyond Algeria, as several controversial refereeing decisions and the opaque functioning of the centralized VAR system in Dallas hav