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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4]
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.
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.
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.
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.[7] 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.
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".[8][9]
.jpg)
