Handball / AFCON 2026 (Placement Match): Algeria Fall to Cape Verde

The Algerian men’s national handball team finished fourth in the final standings of the 2026 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) after losing to their Cape Verde counterparts 29–23 (halftime: 16–16) in the third-place playoff held Saturday in Kigali, Rwanda.

For the record, Algeria’s “Sept” had been eliminated in Thursday’s semifinals by Tunisia (24–33), while Cape Verde were knocked out by Egypt (32–26).

The final, scheduled for Saturday at 3:00 p.m., will pit Egypt  three-time defending champions against Tunisia, who hold the record for the most continental titles (10).

The 2024 edition final was won by Egypt, who defeated Algeria (29–21).

The top five teams of AFCON 2026  Egypt, Tunisia, Cape Verde, Algeria, and Angola have qualified for the 2027 World Championship to be held in Germany.