The Algerian Republic Cup final witnessed a significant shift from an anticipated football match to a boisterous protest scene, as the stands resounded with angry political chants targeting Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his entourage, an incident that sparked widespread controversy within political and media circles.
Algerian political and media activist Said Bensdira said that what happened in the final cannot be considered a mere fleeting public outburst, but rather "a very strong message from the public," warning that the vulgar language and indecent phrases uttered by the fans of both teams portend a "worse future and an approaching tsunami" that reflects the extent of resentment within the street. Bensdira explained that the stadium audience has become the largest force of political expression in the country, raising its voice without intermediaries or ballot boxes, considering that the intensity of the slogans raised confirms that a large part of the people in Algeria are dissatisfied with the current political leadership. The stands of the final, which brought together USM Alger and CR Belouizdad, turned into an open political platform, where the audience chanted harsh slogans against President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his surroundings, including slogans that were literally said, such as: "You thieves, you ate the country" and "Tebboune is a fraud, the military brought him," in addition to other slogans that cast doubt on the legitimacy of the regime and criticize the style of governance. The Algerian Cup final for the 2025-2026 season was held on April 30, 2026 on the Nelson Mandela Stadium pitch in the capital, in the presence of President Tebboune, which gave the chants a direct political dimension and made them the focus of public attention. Reports indicated that the President left the stadium under heavy guard after the opposing chants escalated, in a scene that reflected the tension that overshadowed the end of the match, and raised deep questions about the implications of what happened inside the football stands, which have become a clear mirror of the Algerian people's anger.
