Nesrine Bahlouli has been included in Farid Benstiti’s 26-player Algeria squad for the African qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States.
The 23-year-old Al-Nassr midfielder recently chose to represent Algeria after playing for France from Under-19 level through to the Under-23s. Her selection had been expected, and she is one of five newcomers named by Benstiti.
Bahlouli, the sister of Fares Bahlouli and Mohamed Bahlouli of US Biskra, is joined by Celina Ould Hocine, Sarah Compaore, Celia Aggoune and Anais Oularbi.
Ould Hocine, 24, plays for Paris FC, while Compaore, 19, is at OM and Aggoune, 19, represents RC Lens. All three previously came through French youth sections.
Oularbi, 23, is a former France youth international who now plays for Vancouver Rise.
Emma Smaali, 26, has also returned to the squad. The Lens player was left out of the squad for the CAN feminine 2026.
Most of the group that secured Algeria’s historic third-place finish at the CAN feminine in mid-August has been retained.
That core includes Chloe N’Gazi, Ines Boutaleb, Melline D’Oria, Ines Belloumou, Morgane Belkhiter, Lana Smits Ouraghi, Melissa Bethi, Marine Dafeur, Amira Ould Braham and Sofia Bekhaled.
Lina Boussaha, who tormented Morocco in the third-place play-off, is also included, alongside Lynda Bendris, Ines Khiri and Ikram Adjabi.
However, Amira Benaissa, Lea Abadou, Sofia Guellati, Roselene Khezami, Morgane Ikene and Khouloud Ournani have not made the squad.
Algeria will begin their Olympic qualifying campaign against the Central African Republic on 9 October. The second leg will take place four days later at the Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers.
The qualifiers form part of the route to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States, with Benstiti opting to combine the established players from Algeria’s historic CAN feminine campaign with five new additions.