Little Algeria – the Kansas city taking a World Cup team to its heart

In a small city in the state of Kansas, a World Cup love story has started.

Algeria have made Lawrence their home for the tournament – and the city has been taken over by national flags.

“When we found out that Algeria was coming here in February, we started preparations to make sure they knew they were going to be welcome,” said Ruth DeWitt – director of community relations at the city’s tourism bureau, Explore Lawrence.

“And Lawrence has just rolled out the red carpet for the team in so many different ways. We are so happy that they chose Lawrence as their base camp. We’ve never had anything like this here before so we are just thrilled that they’re here.”

Before the team arrived, the city – which has a population of about 100,000 – held ‘Soccer 101’ classes teaching locals the rules of football along with lessons about Algeria and fan culture.

The players were welcomed by hundreds of fans as they pulled into the city, with even more filling Rock Chalk Park for the team’s community training session, when players interacted with local children.

And with Algerian communities based just outside of Kansas City in neighbouring Missouri – about 40 miles from Lawrence – there are visitors travelling to the region daily hoping to get a glimpse of their heroes.

Alongside her regular work in the town, DeWitt has taken Algeria supporter Wassini Souarit, who lives in Minneapolis, into her home for the tournament.

“I think it’s part of who Lawrence is to begin with,” she said. “But then there were so many challenges for Algerians to travel here and we just adopted them as our home team.

“And of course we’re rooting for the USA, but we’re rooting for Algeria just as much because we are so happy that they chose Lawrence as their base camp.

“That’s exactly what the World Cup is about. That’s what people told us the World Cup is about. And so you sort of think ‘that’s right’, but until you experience it for yourself, you have absolutely no idea how powerful that connection really is.”

Algeria tops can be seen all around Lawrence as the team prepare for their first match – against holders Argentina at Kansas City Stadium, home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, on Tuesday (02:00 BST Wednesday).

But there have also been supporter gatherings at Union station in Kansas City, while earthworks artist Stan Herd has created an installation at the University of Kansas Campus too.

The art piece, which is a huge version of the Algeria flag, can be seen in its entirety from the roof of the campus.

“We are so excited – a town of 100,000, to welcome these amazing people from Algeria,” said Herd.

“So we’re having people, restaurant owners are cooking halal. This town is really embracing for ourselves as much as for our visitors, but this is a very welcoming town.

“I think it’s a pretty welcoming state, but we’re beginning to love football more than [American] football.”

With people from around the world coming to the US – and specifically Lawrence – for the first time, the 76-year-old believes the tournament has brought people together.

“I do think that that’s the case [that] a lot of people, through an effort like this, make common cause with their neighbours that they may have passed by for years,” he said.

“And now that we’re all on the same team now trying to show and present ourselves in the best way we can. We are very welcoming community.

“We see this is a very great opportunity to show how Kansans welcome the world.”