Lyon’s Aouar Gets First Algeria Call-up After Switch from France

Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Paris St Germain - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 9, 2022 Olympique Lyonnais' Houssem Aouar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Paris St Germain - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 9, 2022 Olympique Lyonnais' Houssem Aouar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
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Lyon’s Aouar Gets First Algeria Call-up After Switch from France

Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Paris St Germain - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 9, 2022 Olympique Lyonnais' Houssem Aouar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Ligue 1 - Olympique Lyonnais v Paris St Germain - Groupama Stadium, Lyon, France - January 9, 2022 Olympique Lyonnais' Houssem Aouar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)

Olympique Lyon's Houssem Aouar has been called up to the Algeria squad for the first time ahead of games against Uganda and Tunisia, the national football association said on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old midfielder played one game for France - a friendly against Ukraine in 2020 - before switching allegiance to Algeria, where his parents were born, in March.

Algeria play Uganda in an Africa Cup on Nations qualifier on June 18 and host Tunisia in a friendly two days later.

Algeria, Cup of Nations champions in 1990 and 2019, have already secured qualification for the Finals of the next edition in Ivory Coast next January.



Boca Juniors Defender Costa Gets Special US Visa for Club World Cup

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Argentine Primera Division - River Plate v Boca Juniors - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - April 27, 2025 Boca Juniors' Ayrton Costa in action with River Plate's Sebastian Driussi REUTERS/Rodrigo Valle/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Argentine Primera Division - River Plate v Boca Juniors - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - April 27, 2025 Boca Juniors' Ayrton Costa in action with River Plate's Sebastian Driussi REUTERS/Rodrigo Valle/File Photo
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Boca Juniors Defender Costa Gets Special US Visa for Club World Cup

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Argentine Primera Division - River Plate v Boca Juniors - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - April 27, 2025 Boca Juniors' Ayrton Costa in action with River Plate's Sebastian Driussi REUTERS/Rodrigo Valle/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Argentine Primera Division - River Plate v Boca Juniors - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - April 27, 2025 Boca Juniors' Ayrton Costa in action with River Plate's Sebastian Driussi REUTERS/Rodrigo Valle/File Photo

Boca Juniors defender Ayrton Costa will be able to take part in the Club World Cup in the United States following a u-turn by US immigration officials who had previously rejected his visa application, the Argentine club said on Friday.

"Ayrton Costa has been granted a 26-day special visa," a club spokesperson told Reuters.

Costa's visa application was subject to a criminal complaint in his native Argentina, relating to an aggravated robbery in 2018, which he avoided trial for by accepting a probationary sentence in 2023.

However, US officials previously ruled that he could not enter the country as he was still serving his sentence.

The press office at the US embassy in Argentina told Reuters that they cannot discuss individual visa applications.

Boca Juniors will open the tournament in Miami on Monday against Portuguese side Benfica.