Rayan Aït-Nouri, the Manchester City full-back, has not been included in the Algeria squad for the matches against Togo. Head coach Brahim Hemdani sets two conditions for a return and leaves the door open.
Rayan Aït-Nouri’s name does not appear on the list of players called up by Algeria for the matches against Togo on 14 and 17 November. The 25-year-old full-back, who joined Manchester City in June 2025 from Wolverhampton, has been left out of the squad, according to Tribuna and Africa Soccer.
Head coach Brahim Hemdani restated the two conditions for being called up: “There are two essential conditions for joining the Algeria national team: playing regularly for your club and respecting the clearly defined team structure.”
A dispute dating back to September
According to information from Tribuna, the tension arose during the 3-1 win over Zambia in September. Hemdani had considered bringing Aït-Nouri on, before changing his mind after Zambia’s equaliser. After Algeria regained the lead, the player is said to have refused to come on, then argued with members of the staff and his team-mates. A few days later, the Manchester City player asked to leave the camp and was allowed to return home.
These elements, reported by Tribuna, are presented as the origin of his absence for the double header against Togo. They are not confirmed in the report by the federation or by the player.
Limited playing time at Manchester City
Under coach Enzo Maresca, Aït-Nouri has not yet played in the Premier League this season, according to Africa Soccer. In total, he has played four matches, for around 168 minutes, including 135 in the EFL Cup.
That playing time affects the first of the two conditions set by Hemdani: playing regularly at club level. The player must therefore earn more minutes if he hopes to return to the national team.
A door left ajar
Despite the decision, Hemdani stressed that nothing is set in stone: “The decision taken regarding Aït-Nouri is logical in the current context, but the doors remain open. Nobody is definitively excluded.” He added: “We continue to monitor him. I know what this player has brought to Algeria, but not calling him up remains above all a tactical decision.”
Algeria will face Togo in Tizi Ouzou on 14 November 2026, before the return leg in Lomé on 17 November.