USM Khenchela

USM Khenchela
Full nameUnion sportive Madinet Khenchela
NicknameLions des Aurés - Ciskaoua - Les bagnards
FoundedJuly 28, 1943 (1943-07-28) (as Union sportive Madinet Khenchela)
GroundAmar Hamam Stadium
Capacity8,000
OwnerAlgérie Télécom[1]
PresidentWalid Boukrouma
Head CoachBillel Dziri[2]
LeagueLigue 1
2025–26Ligue 1, 7th of 16

Union Sportive Madinet Khenchela (Arabic: الإتحاد الرياضي لمدينة خنشلة), known as USM Khenchela or simply USMK, is an Algerian professional football club based in Khenchela. The club was founded in 1943 and its colours are white and black. Their home stadium, Hammam Ammar Stadium, has a capacity of 8,000 spectators. The club is currently playing in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.

History

In 1970–71 Algerian Cup semi-finals in Khenchela against USM Alger who was not welcomed because of a word used by their supporters which is that Khenchela is “Shawiya” a term that has been misinterpreted and they prepared a hostile reception, and the match lasted four hours due to the storming to the stadium several times by the supporters.[3] After the end of the match USM Alger players who were accompanied by a handful of fans, remained locked in the dressing rooms until midnight and after the intervention of a Gendarmerie brigade sent from Batna, then the Algerian Football Federation at that time punished the two clubs by playing 50 kilometers away from its stadium for one year.[3] Khenchela saw the birth of another club that became known thanks to its good performances during the 1990s, at a time when USM Khenchela was struggling in the lower divisions, Ittihad Riadhi Baladiat Khenchela. created in 1985, Subsequently, the authorities decided to merge these two clubs into one, but the project fell through and a few years later IRBK ended up disappearing from the football scene after 28 years of existence.[4][5]

The club was promoted for the 2010–11 season of the newly created Championnat National de Football Amateur due to the professionalisation of the first two divisions in Algeria.[6]

On August 5, 2020, USM Khenchela were promoted to the Algerian Ligue 2.[7]

Promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time

On May 21, 2022, USM Khenchela were promoted to the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 returns to the national elite that it left almost 50 years ago. The Ciskaoua will thus once again taste the sensations of the Ligue 1 where they had played for two seasons at the beginning of the 1970s.[8] On February 2, 2023, an agreement was signed between Groupe Cosider and USM Khenchela, Under this agreement which covers a renewable year, the club will benefit from financial support during the 2022–23 sports season. This agreement initialed in the presence of the Wali of Khenchela, aims underlined the CEO of Cosider to support the evolution of the club through a sponsorship formula, under which Groupe Cosider will financially support all of the activities of USM Khenchela.[9]

During the visit of the President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune on May 31, 2024, to Khenchela, he promised the leaders and fans of USM Khenchela to find a lessor capable of taking charge of L'USMK.[10] The Algerian public telecommunications company Algérie Télécom, will apparently be the new owner of USM Khenchela, according to a post published on the club's official page. The club's president, Walid Boukrouma, said that "preliminary discussions addressing the aspects of the transfer of ownership of the club to this national company have already been initiated with its CEO, stressing that the realization of this acquisition will not happen overnight. It will take a few months to finalize all the necessary administrative procedures.[11]

On August 1, 2024, Algérie Télécom and Union Sportive Madinet Khenchela have signed a partnership agreement, making Algérie Télécom the official sponsor.[12] The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Algérie Télécom in Algiers, in the presence of the Chairman and CEO of Algérie Télécom and the President of USM Khenchela Walid Boukrouma.[12] Knowing that Algérie Télécom has started procedures to buy the club, this partnership is part of a global approach aimed at supporting the club in the development and strengthening of its capacities for the 2024–25 season.[12]

On 20 January 2026, Algérie Télécom announced its takeover of the club.[13]

Players

Algerian teams are limited to four foreign players. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player;

Current squad

As of 31 August 2026[14] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ALG Hatem Bencheikh El Fegoun
3 DF  ALG Nabil Lamara
4 DF  ALG Imadeddine Boubekeur
5 DF  ALG Youcef Douar
6 MF  ALG Ahmida Zenasni
7 FW  ALG Abdelhak Askar
8 MF  ALG Abdelhakim Sameur
10 MF  ALG Mehdi Boukassi
11 MF  ALG Adem Chaibi
12 DF  ALG Zineddine Meddour
15 FW  ALG Massinissa Nezla
16 GK  ALG Oussama Litim (captain)
17 MF  ALG Sid Ahmed Matallah
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF  ALG Anouar Boukhalfa
19 DF  ALG Abdelhamid Dris
21 DF  ALG Ibrahim Hachoud
22 MF  ALG Necer Benzid
23 FW  ALG Faik Amrane
25 MF  ALG Aymen Bendaoud
27 DF  ALG Zakaria Zaitri
30 GK  ALG Yasser Zitouni
- MF  CIV Kamara Issouf
- FW  GUI Alhassane Camara
- MF  NGA Ayobami Junior
- FW  SEN Almamy Fall

Personnel

Current technical staff

Position Staff
Head coachAlgeria Billel Dziri
Assistant coachAlgeria Moulay Haddou
Goalkeeping coachTunisia Rabie Bouazzi
Fitness coachAlgeria Ahmed Khebbeb

Statistics

Recent seasons

Season League Cup Other Africa Top goalscorer(s)[note 1] Ref.
Division Pos Pts P W D L GF GA Name Goals
1962–63 Critérium d'Honneur2nd42181044 Unknown
1963–64 Division d'Honneur3rd14 Round of 16
1964–65 Division d'Honneur11th26 Round of 32
1965–66 Division d'Honneur7th30 Round of 32
1966–67 Division d'Honneur Unknown
1967–68 Division d'Honneur1st Unknown
1968–69 Nationale II6th42226882529 Round of 64
1969–70 Nationale II6th44227872727 Round of 32
1970–71 Nationale II3rd512410772420 Semi-finals
1971–72 Nationale II Unknown
1972–73 National II3rd602614664420 Unknown
1973–74 National II1st512215613511 Unknown
1974–75 Nationale I11th5730115142440 Round of 64
1975–76 Nationale I14th473049172853 Round of 16
1976–77 Nationale II2nd26 Round of 16
1977–78 Division 22nd26 Unknown
1978–79 National II2nd26 Unknown
1979–80 National II9th432251161821 Round of 32
2009–10 Inter-régions5th493014793928 Round of 16
2010–11 DNA12th232658131833 Last regional round
2011–12 DNA3rd442613583228 Penultimate
Regional Round
2012–13 DNA8th372610792828 Unknown
2013–14 DNA7th4030124143544 Last regional round
2014–15 DNA10th3630812102326 Last regional round
2015–16 DNA9th3730107133340 Penultimate
Regional Round
2016–17 DNA6th3930109113937 Round of 32
2017–18 DNA2nd503014883625 Round of 64
2018–19 DNA2nd623015843820 Round of 32
2019–20 DNA[note 2]6th36249962819 Round of 64
2020–21 Ligue 24th382210842619 Not played
2021–22 Ligue 21st6730191016022 Not played Sofiane Bayazid16
2022–23 Ligue 18th4230126122929 Round of 16 Sofiane Bayazid14
2023–24 Ligue 110th3930116133339 Round of 16 Tosin Omoyele10
2024–25 Ligue 19th4030117122838 Round of 64 Hamid Djaouchi9

Notes

  1. ↑ Goals in all competitions (Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1, Algerian Cup, League Cup, African and Super Cup) are counted.
  2. ↑ On March 15, 2020, the Ministry of Youth and Sports decided to stop the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria, Then it was canceled with the rise of the first eight teams to the Ligue 2 and the relegation was cancelled.[15][16]

References

  1. ↑ "Algérie Telecom officialise l'acquisition de l'USM Khenchela". mediafootdz.dz. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "USMK : Dziri nouvel entraîneur". competition.dz. 19 February 2026. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  3. 1 2 "mca- usma 1971 : une première historique pour le mouloudia !". algerie360.com. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "اتحاد بلدية خنشلة ينسحب بعد 28 سنة من النشاط". Djazairess. 12 September 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "FUSION ENTRE L'USMK ET L'IRBK Le niet des supporters". Le Soir d'Algerie. August 7, 2006. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Amateurs : Les 2 groupes du Championnat national -DZFOOT.COM". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
  7. ↑ "Saison 2019/2020 : Les clubs de Division Nationale Amateurs promus en Ligue 2". 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "Accession en Ligue 1: historique pour le MC El Bayadh, l'USM Khenchela retrouve l'élite". APS. February 2, 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Foot/Ligue 1: signature d'une convention entre le groupe Cosider et l'USM Khenhela". APS. February 2, 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Mémorable visite du Président de la République à Khenchela : Bain de foule et grandes annonces". El Moudjahid. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "USM Khenchela : Algérie télécom sera le nouveau propriétaire". El Moudjahid. 20 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 "Ligue 1 Mobilis de football : Algérie Télécom sponsor officiel de l'USM Khenchela". Radio algérienne. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  13. ↑ "Algérie Telecom officialise l'acquisition de l'USM Khenchela". mediafootdz.dz. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
  14. ↑ "Players". lfp.dz. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "الجزائر تعلن إيقاف النشاط الرياضي بسبب كورونا". btolat.com. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  16. ↑ "COVID-19 : ARRET DES COMPETITIONS JUSQU'A NOUVEL ORDRE". faf.dz. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
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