Algeria accelerates efforts to eliminate French from official use

Algeria is stepping up efforts to phase out the use of the French language in official and inter-institutional communication, both formal and informal, as part of a broader national language policy shift.

Azernews reports, citing international media, the Algerian Football Federation has issued a directive requiring all regional football bodies to prepare official documents and correspondence exclusively in Arabic. This policy is expected to be fully implemented starting from the 2025–2026 football season.

The directive also mandates that disciplinary committee reports, referee appointments, match scheduling, and all other official documentation within the sport be conducted in Arabic.

Beyond the sports sector, the campaign to remove French from official use is gaining momentum across other institutions. The state-run water utility company SEAAL, which oversees the water supply network in Algiers, recently announced that it has replaced French with English on its customer bills. The company now issues invoices in both Arabic and English. SEAAL was formerly managed by a French firm, but Algeria terminated the contract in 2021 due to non-compliance.

In April, Air Algérie removed French text from its airline tickets. The airline's public relations director, Abdelkader Salimi, stated that tickets will now be issued in Arabic and English to align with practices adopted by other Arab carriers.

These developments come amid renewed diplomatic tensions between Algiers and Paris. A recent arrest of an Algerian consular staff member in France led Algeria to expel 12 French diplomats. In response, France expelled 12 Algerian diplomats and recalled its ambassador for consultations, straining bilateral relations once again.