Abdelhak Benchikha

Abdelhak Benchikha
Born	(1963-11-22) November 22, 1963 Soustarah district, Algiers, Algeria
Occupation(s)	Football coach, former player
Years active	2000–present (managerial career)
Known for	Coaching multiple clubs and national teams; winning CAF Confederation Cup and CAF Super Cup with USM Alger

Abdelhak Benchikha (; born 22 November 1963) is a former Algerian footballer turned coach.

Personal life

Benchikha entered the world on 22 November 1963 in the Soustarah district of Algiers. His lineage traces back to the village of Sidi Abderrahmane, located within the Timezrit commune in Boumerdès Province.

Managerial career

Benchikha launched his coaching journey with CR Belouizdad, where he achieved back-to-back league championships in 2000 and 2001. He had a short tenure at MC Alger and also led the Algerian Under-23 national squad before returning to CR Belouizdad near the close of the 2004–05 season. Subsequently, he moved to Qatar to take charge of Umm-Salal Sports Club, guiding them to promotion from the second tier during his single season at the helm. The next season saw him managing Tunisian club ES Zarzis.

Club Africain

On 13 June 2007, Benchikha agreed to a one-year deal with Tunisian side Club Africain. Under his leadership, the team clinched their first league championship in over a decade, finishing just two points ahead of rivals Etoile du Sahel. Shortly thereafter, he captured the 2008 North African Cup of Champions by defeating Moroccan outfit FAR Rabat. Although offered a contract extension in March 2009, Benchikha opted to part ways.

Algeria A'

Benchikha was appointed head coach of both the Algeria A' national football team and the Algerian Under-23 team on 10 June 2009. He successfully guided the A' squad to qualify for the 2011 African Nations Championship, advancing on away goals against Libya.

Algeria National Team

On 13 September 2010, Benchikha took over as manager of the Algeria national football team, succeeding Rabah Saâdane. Following a heavy 4–0 loss to Morocco during a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match, he stepped down on 5 June 2011.

Club-hopping tenure

Benchikha resigned from his role at MC Alger on 5 October 2011. Later that year, on 17 December, he returned to Club Africain with an eighteen-month contract, revisiting the club where he had previously secured a league title in 2008. This engagement ended by mutual consent on 20 April 2012.

Following this period, he undertook brief managerial assignments across various nations, overseeing teams such as Difaâ El Jadidi, Raja Casablanca, IR Tanger, Moghreb Tétouan, Mouloudia Oujda, DH El Jadida, and RS Berkane in Morocco; Al-Ittihad Kalba in the United Arab Emirates; ES Sétif in Algeria; and Libya's Al-Ittihad Tripoli.

USM Alger

On 25 December 2022, Benchikha inked an eighteen-month contract with USM Alger, succeeding Boualem Charef. His technical staff included Farid Zamiti as assistant and Farid Belmellat as goalkeepers coach. Amid fan unrest during a Ligue 1 fixture against HB Chelghoum Laïd on 13 March 2023, Benchikha expressed contentment with his squad’s efforts despite playing eight matches within one month. He declared winning the CAF Confederation Cup as his primary target, highlighting his extensive experience and ability to manage players effectively. After advancing past the semi-final against ASEC Mimosas, he reiterated that USM Alger was poised to claim their maiden CAF Confederation Cup trophy.

Benchikha successfully guided USM Alger to their first continental championship by triumphing over Young Africans in the final. Following a derby clash with CR Belouizdad, he observed that some players chose to depart after taking holidays post-victory but affirmed his dedication to pursuing further titles. On 16 July 2023, he confirmed his intention to remain with USM Alger despite receiving offers from abroad and initiated recruitment activities involving new signings and contract extensions.

On 15 September 2023, Benchikha secured the 2023 CAF Super Cup for USM Alger with a victory against Al Ahly, marking the club’s second African title within three months. Nevertheless, on 9 October 2023, he resigned from his position citing verbal abuse encountered at the entrance of the Omar Hamadi Stadium. Subsequently, through a video statement, he clarified that his departure was driven by sporting and professional considerations.

Simba SC

On 24 November 2023, Benchikha was named head coach of Simba SC, succeeding Robertinho with a contract lasting one and a half years. By 27 April 2024, he had guided the team to victory in the Tanzania FA Cup against Azam, who finished as runners-up in the NBC Premier League. During his initial season, Benchikha clinched the FA Cup and advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2023–24 CAF Champions League, where they were eliminated by defending champions Al Ahly. The following day, Simba SC announced that Benchikha along with his Algerian coaching staff, Kamel Boudjenane and Farid Zemiti, had resigned citing family matters. In a club-released video, Benchikha conveyed his appreciation to the fans and club personnel.

JS Kabylie

Benchikha took over as head coach of JS Kabylie on 30 June 2024, replacing Djilali Bahloul and Rabah Bensafi. He stepped down on 3 January 2025 following an Algerian Cup fixture, attributing his resignation to hostility from supporters despite backing from the club’s management. His contract was set to remain valid until the end of the 2025–26 season. JS Kabylie’s president, El Hadi Ould Ali, publicly criticized both the timing and reasons for Benchikha’s departure. Subsequently, German coach Josef Zinnbauer was appointed on 20 January 2025. Under Zinnbauer’s leadership, JS Kabylie secured second place in the 2024–25 Algerian Ligue 1, earning qualification for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League.

Modern Future FC

On 14 February 2025, Benchikha was appointed head coach of Egyptian Premier League side Modern Future FC. After successfully steering the club clear of relegation threats, it was announced on 2 June 2025 that he would be departing from his role.

USM Alger for the second time

On 12 August 2025, USM Alger reappointed Abdelhak Benchikha as head coach on a one-year deal, succeeding Mohamed Lacet. This marked his return after guiding the club in 2023 to an unprecedented double triumph: winning both the CAF Confederation Cup and the CAF Super Cup, overcoming Egypt’s Al Ahly. USMA honored him as a legendary figure integral to their recent achievements and expressed confidence in his capability to deliver additional titles.

As a manager

Umm Salal

• Qatari Second Division: 2005–06

Club Africain

• Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 2007–08
• North African Cup of Champions: 2008

Difaâ d'El Jadida

• Moroccan Throne Cup: 2013

RS Berkane

• CAF Super Cup: 2022

USM Alger

• CAF Confederation Cup: 2022–23
• CAF Super Cup: 2023

Simba SC

• Tanzania FA Cup: 2024

Managerial statistics

colspan=4 Career Total {{WDLtot 338 155 100 83 }}

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				P	W	D	L	Win %
Club Africain	Template:Country data TunisiaTemplate:Namespace detect showall	11 June 2008
Algeria A'
Algeria		13 September 2010	5 June 2011
MC Alger		1 September 2011	5 October 2011
Club Africain	Template:Country data TunisiaTemplate:Namespace detect showall	17 December 2011	20 April 2012
Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi	Template:Country data MoroccoTemplate:Namespace detect showall	20 July 2013
Raja Casablanca	Template:Country data MoroccoTemplate:Namespace detect showall	4 June 2014	25 September 2014
Ittihad Kalba FC	Template:Country data United Arab EmiratesTemplate:Namespace detect showall	24 October 2014	Template:WDL
IR Tanger	Template:Country data MoroccoTemplate:Namespace detect showall	2 June 2015	18 April 2017 Template:WDL
Moghreb Tétouan	Template:Country data MoroccoTemplate:Namespace detect showall	6 September 2017	Template:WDL
ES Sétif		28 December 2017	25 April 2018 Template:WDL
Al-Ittihad Club	Template:Country data LibyaTemplate:Namespace detect showall	13 July 2013	2 March 2019 Template:WDL
MC Oujda	Template:Country data MoroccoTemplate:Namespace detect showall	12 June 2019	Template:WDL
Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi	Template:Country data MoroccoTemplate:Namespace detect showall	20 October 2020	30 June 2022 Template:WDL
RS Berkane	Template:Country data MoroccoTemplate:Namespace detect showall	10 August 2022	11 November 2022 Template:WDL
USM Alger	|   25 December 2022	{{WDL 34 12 9 13 }}