Algeria officially picks Lawrence, Rock Chalk Park for base camp during World Cup
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Algeria selects Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence as 2026 World Cup base camp.
- Team will practice at KU's Rock Chalk Park and play two group games in KC.
- Algeria joins England, Netherlands and Argentina in the Kansas City metro area.
After much anticipation, it’s now official: Algeria will reside in Lawrence, Kansas for the duration of this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Algerian officials and KU Athletics announced jointly on Thursday that the North African nation’s men’s soccer team will practice at the Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence during the month-long international tournament.
Algeria will play group-stage games at Arrowhead Stadium in nearby Kansas City.
The Star reported in early December that Algerian representatives had visited Lawrence to evaluate the city and its facilities as a potential base-camp site. A number of other countries also checked out the area in recent months.
“Kansas Athletics is thrilled with our partners in Lawrence to be a base camp selection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” said Jason Booker, deputy athletic director for the University of Kansas. “Rock Chalk Park is a world-class facility that was validated by the countries that visited and in the level of interest we had in being a base camp.
“This summer offers a tremendous opportunity to showcase the broader university, Lawrence, Douglas County and our surrounding region. I am very appreciative of the tremendous collaboration across all parties to make this a reality.”
Algeria, ranked No. 28 in FIFA’s global men’s rankings, is the fourth country that has decided to make the Kansas City metro area its temporary home. The national teams from England, the Netherlands and Argentina will reside in Kansas City proper during the World Cup.
Algeria will play two group-stage matches in Kansas City, the first against Argentina on June 16. The Algerians’ second group-stage game will be against Austria on June 27.
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Algeria officially picks Lawrence, Rock Chalk Park for base camp during World Cup."
