The report says Gleizes has been held since 2024, with his case condemned by human-rights groups and media advocates. Infantino is understood to have called on President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to grant clemency, while Fifa has reportedly provided Gleizes with tournament accreditation and left a seat open for him.
Gleizes’ parents, Sylvie and Francis Godard, described the situation as “devastating for their family” and said he was “a football journalist and nothing more”. Their appeal has kept the case in football’s public conversation, including after France coach Didier Deschamps was asked about it.
Away from the controversy, Algeria have found an unexpectedly warm welcome in Lawrence, Kansas. The report says around 500 people greeted the squad, while the University of Kansas marching band learned the Algerian national anthem.
Local businesses have displayed flags and banners, and Arabic signs around the city have offered encouragement. Coach Vladimir Petkovic has reportedly been surprised by the reception, which has given the squad a lift during a demanding tournament.
That goodwill has arrived at a difficult moment. Algeria are attempting to respond to a reported 3-0 defeat by Lionel Messi’s Argentina, a result that has made their next Group J fixture particularly important.
Petkovic’s players must separate the emotion surrounding Gleizes’ case and the Kansas welcome from the task on the pitch. The defeat to Argentina exposed the scale of the challenge, but Jordan offers Algeria an immediate chance to restore momentum.
For a side seeking progress beyond the last 16 for the first time, Monday’s match could shape the rest of its campaign. The next storyline will be whether Algeria can turn local support, and Infantino’s call for compassion, into a performance strong enough to revive their World Cup hopes.