Hemdani appointment gives Algeria major salary saving over Petkovic deal

Algeria manager Brahim Hemdani is reportedly earning between €25,000 and €30,000 a month – up to six times less than his predecessor Vladimir Petkovic.

The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) is understood to have opted for a lower-cost, home-grown coaching solution after appointing Hemdani to lead the national team.

Hemdani, 48, was officially placed in charge of the Fennecs on 5 September, following his work with Algeria’s under-23 side at the Mediterranean Games. His reported salary is considerably below the €160,000-a-month package received by Petkovic between the renewal of his contract in June and his departure on 3 August.

Hemdani’s assistant, Anthar Yahia, is expected to earn between €15,000 and €20,000 per month.

The figures were reported by La Gazette du Fennec, which said the new management team would nevertheless face the same sporting expectations imposed on Petkovic after his contract extension.

Hemdani and Yahia are contracted until the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from 19 June to 18 July 2027. Their minimum target is to guide Algeria to the semi-finals of the tournament.

That was also the objective set for Petkovic following the renewal of his agreement.

According to the report, failure to reach that target would lead to Hemdani and Yahia leaving their positions without compensation. If they exceed expectations and achieve their objectives successfully, they would each be offered a further one-year extension, taking their contracts through to the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations.

A victory at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, combined with qualification for the 2030 World Cup, could result in the pair remaining in charge until 2030. Such an extension would also include an increase in their salaries.

The appointment of Hemdani means the FAF’s monthly spending on its head coach has fallen below the symbolic €50,000 mark. That represents a saving of several tens of thousands of euros compared with the cost of employing a foreign manager.

Petkovic, the Swiss-Bosnian coach, earned €160,000 a month during the final period of his time in charge. He left the role on 3 August, before Hemdani was officially appointed the following month.

The decision to promote Hemdani reflects the FAF’s preference for an internal option while maintaining the same performance requirement for the national side. The new coaching team will therefore be judged first on its progress towards the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with the semi-final target forming the central condition of the agreement.

Any future salary increase would depend on Algeria achieving both of the report’s stated conditions: winning the 2027 continental tournament and qualifying for the 2030 World Cup.