Surprise over Algeria’s World Cup welcome shows how media misunderstand Kansas and Lawrence

By: Eric Thomas

Outlets: Kansas Reflector

Published: July 24, 2026

Words: 1,314

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 6 days ago

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When Spain won the 2026 World Cup Sunday, journalists and the sports media reflected on the highlights of the 104-game North American tournament: the top goals, the funniest social media memes and the heartwarming stories.

The city of Lawrence — and its hosting of the Algerian national team — came up often.

The joyful bond between Kansas’s most famous college town and the Desert Foxes, as the Algerian team is known, was catnip. The team’s …

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